Via iStockphoto / @fleckorion TikTok
A Columbus woman heard barking coming from a K-9 Butler County supervisor's vehicle. She immediately called 911.
Leaving an animal unattended inside a locked car for long periods of time is widely understood to be dangerous.
When one Columbus resident was walking her dog at night, that’s the situation she says she stumbled upon after hearing barking coming from a vehicle nearby.
What’s more, this wasn’t just an average civilian car; it was a black Dodge Durango marked as a Butler County Sheriff’s Office K-9 supervisor vehicle.
“Never be afraid to speak up,” she wrote in the video’s text overlay.
She Calls 911 After Hearing Barking Inside K-9 Car
“This is f—– crazy,” the TikTok creator says as she approaches the car, recording the loud barking coming from inside. “That’s wild.”
She shared more details in the caption about what happened next.
“I called 911. This is not okay in any circumstance,” she wrote.
According to the creator, someone left the dog inside the vehicle for hours and it sounded distressed. She says she called 911 twice before Columbus police responded.
“This Butler County (Ohio) K9 officer was in severe distress after being left in the vehicle overnight,” she wrote. “Columbus police responded in a reasonable manner and the vehicle has since been turned on with an officer inside.”
She says the fact that the dog may have been a working K-9 doesn’t make these actions any less unforgivable.
“Leaving your dog alone in a vehicle overnight is never acceptable, working K9 dog or not,” she wrote. “This poor baby was crying and barking for hours.”
Later in the video, the barking stops. The creator suggests that someone returned to the vehicle and turned it on.
There are some important details that remain unconfirmed, though.
BroBible cannot independently verify that the dog inside was a police K-9, how long it had been in the vehicle, whether the car’s climate-control system was running, or whether anyone actually intended to leave the dog there overnight.
BroBible has reached out to both the Columbus Division of Police and Butler County Sheriff’s Office for more information about what happened that night.
Why Is It Wrong To Leave A Dog In A Locked Car Overnight?
While it can’t be confirmed that this is what was happening that night, leaving a dog in a locked car overnight isn’t recommended. In some cases, it can even be illegal.
Besides the extremely hot or cold temperatures that can develop inside a vehicle, prolonged confinement itself can become a welfare issue.
A dog left in a car has no access to bathroom breaks or exercise, while stress can also interfere with eating and drinking even if food and water are available.
Columbus law also has specific rules about confining animals in small spaces. Columbus City Code § 2327.19, “Animal confinement,” says a person may not confine an animal without proper ventilation or in conditions where excessive heat or cold could reasonably be expected to make the animal sick or cause suffering.
The code also requires enough space for the animal to turn around and lie down normally.
A violation of this code is a second-degree misdemeanor and can carry more serious consequences for repeat offenses.
If that confinement were to actually cause harm to the animal, the perpetrator could face additional charges.
Viewers Were Appalled And Suspicious
Some viewers were immediately disturbed by the dog’s alleged situation.
“This is heartbreaking though. STOP LEAVING ANIMALS IN VEHICLES PLEASE!!!” one commenter wrote.
Others focused on something else: Why a Butler County Sheriff‘s Office vehicle was apparently in Columbus in the first place.
“Hmm I live in Butler County and am very interested to know why one of our county cruisers is at a hotel in Cbus,” one viewer wrote.
Another pointed out the distance between the two areas.
“Butler county is like 2 hours away from Columbus too wtf is he doing there,” they wrote.
One commenter was especially bothered by the fact that the vehicle was marked as belonging to a K-9 supervisor.
“And the officer is a supervisor. Shameful,” they wrote.
@fleckorion I called 911. This is not okay in any circumstance. Thankfully, the local police department responded somewhat quickly, after I called 911 twice. This Butler County (Ohio) K9 officer was in severe distress after being left in the vehicle overnight. Columbus police responded in a reasonable manner and the vehicle has since been turned on with an officer inside. Leaving your dog alone in a vehicle overnight is never acceptable, working K9 dog or not. This poor baby was crying and barking for hours. #dog #dogsoftiktok #k9 #police #workingdog
BroBible has reached out to the TikTok creator via direct messages for comment.