San Diego officer charged in dog's heat stroke death

A veteran San Diego police officer was charged today with a misdemeanor in the heat stroke death of his police dog.

Paul Hubka, a 22-year veteran of the department, was charged under a state law making it a crime to leave a dog in a closed car on a hot day. Hubka's police dog, Forrest, a 5-year-old Belgian Malinois, died after Hubka left it for hours in his police car outside his home in rural Alpine on a day when the temperature exceeded 100 degrees. A necropsy determined that the dog had died of heat stroke.

Friends have said Hubka was emotionally devastated by the dog's death. "I understand and share the strong emotional reaction to Forrest's death," said San Diego County Dist. Atty. Bonnie Dumanis. "However, it's the only appropriate charge for these facts."

Hubka would face a maximum sentence of six months in jail and a fine if convicted. He is to be arraigned in Superior Court on Aug. 28. After his dog's death, Hubka was assigned to desk duty, at which he remains, according to the San Diego Police Department.

The department has launched an internal investigation into Forrest's death to see if departmental punishment is warranted. With 45 dogs, the San Diego Police Department says it has the nation's largest canine unit. The dogs are used for patrol and to detect drugs and weapons.

Dumanis, in a statement, noted that the law calls for a felony charge only in cases of intentional animal cruelty. If charged with a felony, a police officer is immediately suspended without pay.

"This case should serve as a reminder that no one should ever leave an animal inside a closed car, not even for a few minutes," said Dawn Danielson, director of the San Diego County Department of Animal Services.

-- Tony Perry, in San Diego

Comments

[Chuck P]

This law should be modified to make it a felony should the animal die as happened in this situation.

[Rim]

Good. I would like to see harsher punishment for people leaving dogs in their cars. Jail would be ideal.

[Anna]

He should be fired and then spend his 6 months in jail. Officer or not, anyone who would leave an animal locked in a car for hours (on a hot day or otherwise) is not fit mentally for a job of this cailbre. Officers need common sense at the very least to navigate their daily duties ensuring they and their partners remain safe and this should clear lack of judgement, intelligence and compassion for others.

[Brien Comerford]

I was surprised to read about such a reckless and "possibly" cruel police officer. In general police officers love canines and horses because they work with them and realize that they are kind, intelligent and sociable creatures.