Daniel Zeigler pleads guilty in death of K9 Horus
SAVANNAH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- A former Savannah police officer pleaded guilty to animal abuse following the death of a police K9 last summer.
Police K9 Horus died on June 20, 2024, after completing an overnight shift in Savannah.
Kansas City International Airport reported a high of 88 degrees Fahrenheit at 3:53 p.m. on June 20.
In his written plea, former officer Daniel Ziegler wrote,
"On or about 6/20/2024 in Andrew Co. MO. I had in my custody K9 Officer Horus. I knowingly failed to provide adequate care to the animal, which resulted in substantial harm to the animal."
Ziegler pleaded guilty on Friday, July 18, during a hearing at the Clay County Courthouse.
Ziegler received a suspended imposition of sentence (SIS) and two years of court-supervised probation. He also had to pay $5,000 to the victim compensation fund.
According to a probable cause statement from the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, Daniel Zeigler and his K-9 Partner, Horus, completed their overnight shift at 4:50 a.m., according to an Andrew County Dispatch Log.
Zeigler later contacted Savannah Police Chief Dave Vincent at 5:54 p.m. and informed him that K-9 Horus was dead.
Vincent responded to Zeigler’s residence and found K-9 Horus deceased. Chief Vincent said K-9 Horus had been left in the Savannah Police K-9 vehicle following the end of their shift and had died of heat exposure, the probable cause statement said.
