WBBJ reports that Chloe Swann, a former Madison County Sheriff's Office deputy and K9 handler, was arrested on a Thursday morning and booked into the Madison County Jail on one count of aggravated cruelty to animals. District Attorney General Jody S. Pickens said a grand jury returned an indictment on November 2, 2026, over the September 18-19 death of K9 Bart. WBBJ reports Sheriff Julian Wiser previously said Swann left the 2.5-year-old German shepherd in an outdoor kennel without water for about 36 hours as temperatures passed 100 degrees, and that a veterinary necropsy found the dog died of heat stroke from severe dehydration. Swann resigned shortly after the incident. She was given a $5,000 bond and is due for arraignment November 9. The charge is an accusation, not a finding of guilt.
Why it matters
The case involves criminal charges against a handler over the death of a law enforcement animal in her care. The indictment is an allegation that has not yet been decided in court.
Charged: Prosecutors filed criminal charges. A charge is not proof of guilt, and the person is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Researched with AI assistance from the sources listed here and reviewed under our methodology.