By Joanna Putman
Police1
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. — A Prince George’s County Police officer has been charged with three counts of animal cruelty related to the alleged mistreatment of his 2-year-old K-9 partner, Daisy, WBAL reported.
Cpl. David Acosta was initially suspended on July 14 for an unrelated incident, according to the report. During this time, investigators observed injuries on Daisy and Acosta’s second dog, a Belgian Malinois named Spartacus. Police reported that Daisy had injuries from an e-collar and other medical conditions requiring care.
“This situation involving Daisy is appalling. She is a part of the PGPD family,” said Prince George’s County Police Chief Malik Aziz. “I expect all of our handlers to treat their K-9 partners with the utmost care and concern.”
Both doge have been removed from Acosta’s care and Daisy has been reassigned to a veteran handler, according to the report.
“I’m glad to report that Daisy is doing well and back to work,” Aziz added, highlighting the crucial role bloodhounds play in search missions for missing people.
The police department has implemented new policies following the incident, including weekly visual inspections for grooming and physical well-being, bimonthly inspections for detailed assessments of training equipment and vehicles and biannual inspections of residential kennels within the unit’s jurisdiction, according to the report.