An 18-year veteran of the Prince George’s County Police Department has been charged with animal cruelty related to alleged mistreatment of his police dogs.
Cpl. David Acosta faces three charges related to animal cruelty toward a 2-year-old bloodhound named Daisy, to which Acosta was assigned.
According to Prince George’s County police, Acosta was suspended July 14 in connection to an unrelated incident, in which his dogs were retrieved by canine handlers. Charging documents state the handlers then noticed Daisy’s electric collar was too tight and removed it, exposing two “gaping open wounds” on Daisy’s neck.
The bloodhound was taken to a veterinarian for treatment, where it was noted the infected wounds were about 1.25 inches apart, consistent with the electric prongs on Daisy’s e-collar. When the veterinarian shaved Daisy’s neck to further examine the injury, charging documents state that a total of eight puncture wounds were found on her neck.
After the discovery, Acosta’s 7-year-old patrol dog Spartacus was also taken to the vet. They found “similar, but not as prominent, open neck wounds” and other old scars on its neck, according to charging documents.
Investigators from the county’s Animal Services Division said the injuries were consistent with “prolonged wearing and activation of the e-collar,” according to the documents.
“After reviewing the extent of the injuries, the Prince George’s County Animal Services Division investigators concluded Daisy and Spartacus wore the e-collars continuously for several weeks and that the electrostatic shock was utilized frequently,” police said in charging documents.
According to police, the collar manufacturer recommends the e-collars be used for no more than 12 hours per day to prevent irritation from the contact points.
Both Daisy and Spartacus have been permanently reassigned to new handlers in the canine division, and police said the department has already implemented new policies to make sure its canines are safe.
Those policies include weekly visual inspections of every police dog, in-depth bimonthly inspections and biannual kennel inspections. The findings of all inspections must be documented.
“This situation involving Daisy is appalling. She is a part of the PGPD family. I expect that all of our handlers treat their canine partners with the utmost care and concern,” Chief Malik Aziz said in a statement. “I’m glad to report that Daisy is doing well and back to work.”
One of the three charges Acosta faces is a felony. He has also been suspended without pay from the police force as the investigation continues.
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