Ohio deputy accepts blame in police dog’s death

CELINA  (AP) — An Ohio sheriff’s deputy whose police dog died after being left in a hot cruiser says he accepts responsibility for what happened.

The Dayton Daily News reports that Mercer County Deputy Chad Fortkamp was suspended for 45 days without pay. Fortkamp left his dog Zak in his patrol car last week while he finished some paperwork at the office.

Zak suffered from a pre-existing heart condition that likely was aggravated by the temperature inside the car. The K-9 Unit’s veterinarian said that even a healthy dog may have not survived the heat.

At a news conference, a teary-eyed Fortkamp apologized, saying he would always love and miss his dog.

The sheriff’s office plans to suspend the K-9 program after losing two dogs in the last three years.