Home / Crime and Justice / K-9 Owner Acquitted in Hot Truck Dog Deaths Case
K-9 Owner Acquitted in Hot Truck Dog Deaths Case
6 Dec
Summary
- K-9 company owner Michael McHenry found not guilty by Indiana judge.
- Nine German Shepherds died of heat stroke in a hot truck in summer 2023.
- The truck's driver faces trial in March 2026 for the dog deaths.
Michael McHenry, owner of FM K-9, has been cleared of all charges by an Indiana judge concerning the heat-related deaths of nine dogs. The incident occurred in the summer of 2023 when the dogs, being transported from O'Hare International Airport to a Michigan training facility, succumbed to heat stroke.
The nine German Shepherds perished inside a box truck after its air conditioning system failed during a two-hour traffic delay. The driver discovered the distressed dogs and alerted local authorities in Lake Station, Indiana. Despite efforts, nine of the 19 dogs in the truck died.
Prosecutors had alleged that the truck lacked adequate ventilation and temperature controls. While McHenry has been acquitted, the trial for the truck's driver is scheduled to take place in March 2026.
