A K9 handler in Georgia will not face criminal charges after dumping the bodies of his three deceased Bulldogs in the trash, as reported by CBS46.
All 3 Bulldogs Die Within 24 Hours
Deputy Eric Tolbert kept the dogs in crates in a shed on his property. The three Bulldogs overheated within 24 hours of each other in June, a month during which temperatures consistently reach into the high 90s.
According to a report obtained by the Rockdale Newton Citizen, one of the deputy’s dogs died June 13 when the only source of air in the shed was a large fan. The next day, Tolbert attempted to install an air conditioner but “failed to fully read the instructions.” The other two dogs subsequently died of heatstroke.
Tolbert posted to his personal Facebook, “Man this was a tough one! All 3 gone within 24 hours. This heat ain’t no joke. #RIPLukeCage #RIPStorm #RIPLaLa.” Pictures of all three dogs accompanied the statement.
Internal Investigation
Seeing no issue with the condition he left his dogs in, Tolbert blamed the heat for the passing of his dogs. His colleagues, however, felt differently. The sheriff’s department issued a search warrant on his property. They found “unsanitary conditions and the improper disposal of his personal dogs, which was in violation of Georgia law.“
Rockdale County Sheriff’s Investigator Colleen Jones executed the search warrant. Tolbert was not at his residence at the time of the search, but he spoke to Jones on the phone. Jones told Tolbert that she was there to investigate and asked him where the dogs were. Tolbert answered, “I didn’t have a way to bury them so I trashed them.”
Jones replied, “You did what with them?” Tolbert answered once again, “Put them in the trash.”
In addition to this disturbing information, deputies found Tolbert’s K9, Aegis, also outside in a cage. Police photos of the property, which can be found on CBS46’s site, show deplorable conditions: rusty cages, old feces on the floor, and a grotesque water bucket. Deputies removed Aegis from Tolbert’s care.
No Charges Filed
Jones believed she had enough to charge Tolbert with animal cruelty. However, County Judge Nancy Bills refused to sign a warrant for arrest because Jones’ relation to Tolbert constitutes a “conflict of interest.”
Bills believes the sheriff’s department should have turned the case over to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. In addition to the denial of a warrant for arrest, the district attorney refuses to prosecute because of a “lack of evidence.”
The only discipline Tolbert faced was a 32-hour suspension and the removal of his K9 handler status. No further action will be taken.
