BELIEVE IT OR NOT, AUTHORITIES SAY A MISSOURI POLICE K-9 HANDLER FAILED TO FEED OR WATER TWO SERVICE DOGS IN HIS CARE… AND HE HAS BEEN ORDERED TO SERVE JAIL TIME AFTER ONE DIED.
Former Dexter police K-9 handler Durall was sentenced on August 24.
The sentencing followed his guilty plea to failing to feed and water two police dogs.
Apollo was an active-duty police K-9.
Apollo died after losing about 25 pounds.
Knox was a retired police K-9.
Knox was left seriously injured after losing about 10 pounds.
Court records show that both dogs lived at Durall’s Missouri home.
The two animals were kept in separate kennels on the property.
The Dexter Police Department supplied the kennels.
The police department also supplied the dog food.
But Durall failed to give the dogs adequate food and water between September 2023 and February 2024.
On February 18, 2024, Apollo was found dead inside his kennel.
The dog weighed 41.6 pounds.
Apollo showed decreased muscle mass.
He had sunken eyes.
Apollo suffered from malnutrition and dehydration.
Medical tests also found that Apollo had pneumonia.
A veterinarian said pneumonia commonly occurs in malnourished dogs.
The veterinarian noted that pneumonia likely became the final event leading to Apollo’s death.
Retired K-9 Knox was also examined by a veterinarian.
The veterinarian found that Knox had lost about 10 pounds.
Knox suffered from severe heartworms.
Knox also had severely worn teeth.
The examination documented poor overall care.
Durall originally became the department’s K-9 handler in December 2020.
In December 2023, Durall suffered an injury, according to Police Chief Hank Trout.
Durall later returned to light duty without Apollo.
Yet court records still identified Durall as the handler responsible for both dogs kept at his home.
Chief Trout recommended his termination.
The Dexter Board of Aldermen fired Durall on April 1, 2024.
Durall originally faced two felony animal-abuse counts.
He also faced two misdemeanor animal-neglect counts.
Then Durall entered a guilty plea.
He pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of animal abuse.
The judge imposed a one-year jail sentence.
The judge suspended that jail sentence.
Durall was ordered to serve two years of supervised probation.
The court also ordered Durall to serve 15 days in jail.
Durall must also pay the City of Dexter $8,900.
That restitution was ordered for the negligence that caused Apollo’s death.
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