odmp k9 honors the hundreds of police vehicle
when lewis returned to the vehicle he saw primo tore , clawed , and bit into the upholstery on the seats — apparently trying to escape to cooler air .
matt rose the times - picayune landov id : 5874049 by the time officer jason lewis of the new orleans police department returned to his police suv , his k-9 — a six - year - old belgian malinois named primo — was battling for his life .
while lewis got ready for his shift , he had left the dog inside the police suv after the officer found primo “ lying in the back coughing .
lee said that since police dogs are usually german shepherds or belgian malinois , with thicker coats and darker hair , they are more susceptible to heat stroke than other breeds .
 
” the officer hosed down the dog then rushed him to a local veterinary clinic , where the dog subsequently collapsed , suffered three seizures , and died .
 
” metropolitan crime commission id : 5874081 primo is one of more than two dozen police k-9s that were left in vehicles and have died of heat - related symptoms since 2007 .