The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has removed a K-9 from his partner after the deputy accidentally left him unattended in a field.
An investigation by the Office of Professional Standards found the deputy violated several department policies before it removed K-9 Axel from his care.
The sheriff’s office says back in May the deputy did not realize for more than 20 minutes he had left Axel in a field near a highway and train tracks in Lake Bluff after the pair played fetch.
Someone found the dog wandering and called the sheriff’s office, which says the deputy only realized his K-9 was missing after being told to physically check for him.
That created what the office calls a "serious and unacceptable safety risk".
The deputy tried to get his K-9 partner back but earlier this month a judge denied his request.
The sheriff’s office did not name the deputy but has in the past identified him as Kevin Gauer.
An online petition to return Axel to his partner has more than 2,400 signatures - and apparent inaccuracies.
The sheriff’s office says the deputy did not leave the dog unattended to deal with an emergency and the dog is healthy and being cared for at a police K-9 training facility.
The office refutes the petition’s claim that Axel is retired, saying it expects the dog to work for several more years and multiple law enforcement agencies have shown interest in him.
