Outrage swept a local police department in North Carolina after officers placed a sick K-9 German Shepherd named Pac-Man in a shelter rather than allowing him to retire with his former handler.
Police's 7-year-old K-9 Pac-Man has been sleeping in an animal shelter's kennel since November last year, despite his former handler Nathan Ingram offering to buy him.
Ingram worked with Pac-Man at the Dunn Police Department in North Carolina for the past three years, but was on light duty as he recovered from an injury last October.
But during an unexpected phone call, Dunn Police Chief Cary Jackson told Ingram that she was taking his loyal companion to the Dunn Animal Shelter.
Ingram offered to cover the cost of Pac-Man, who had joint pain and suffered from anxiety, if he would be allowed to retire and live with him, but the boss declined.
Police's 7-year-old K-9 Pac-Man has been sleeping in an animal shelter's kennel since November last year, despite his former handler Nathan Ingram (right) offering to buy him
Ingram worked with Pac-Man at the Dunn Police Department in North Carolina for the past three years, but was on light duty as he recovered from an injury last October
Ingram offered to cover the cost of Pac-Man, who had joint pain and suffered from anxiety, if he would be allowed to retire and live with him, but the boss declined.
“He went to work with me every day I worked, he came home with me and stayed at my house every night for three years. “And then all of a sudden he was kidnapped,” Ingram told CBS.
“Obviously he has no voice for himself. I can imagine just not knowing what's going on, like, 'Hey, why have I been here so long?'” Ingram added.
Ingram, who has since left the department for a new job, claimed that the removal of Pac-Man from his car was in retaliation for his absence from a department photo shoot with the dog.
But Jackson disagreed, saying Pac-Man was sent to the shelter because Ingram's injury didn't allow him to care for the dog.
Jackson said, “That's just not true.” “We're not going to get involved in this back and forth.”
“Due to the restrictions placed on him by his doctor, we decided to remove his carer so he could ensure he received appropriate care.”
Ingram denied the claim, saying, “I was able to fully care for Pac-Man during that time. “For the reasons presented to the public, it was not removed from my home.”
The police's 7-year-old K-9 Pac-Man has been sleeping in an animal shelter's kennel since November last year
Ingram, who has since left the department for a new job, claimed that the removal of Pac-Man from his car was in retaliation for his absence from a department photo shoot with the dog
But Jackson disagreed, saying Pac-Man was sent to the shelter because Ingram's injury didn't allow him to care for the dog
The heartbroken former officer mentioned that his companion was known to have leg problems, suffer from anxiety and was in poor health.
But the department declined to retire Pac-Man, Ingram said, emphasizing that this is not the first time such an incident has occurred within the same police department.
“I just want Pac-Man to come home and would be forever grateful if he could retire and enjoy the last few years he may have left,” Ingram told local news station WRAL.
The boss insisted the dog was fit to work and described Pac-Man as “a healthy, loved and respected member” of the agency.
“Based on our consultation with our veterinary, police and dog trainers, we believe he is fully capable,” Jackson said.
“It would be an injustice to K-9 Apacs to retire and not be able to do what he lives to do, which is work and provide a service to the city of Dunn,” she said.
The heartbroken former officer mentioned that his companion was known to have leg problems, suffer from anxiety and was in poor health
But the department declined to retire Pac-Man, Ingram said, emphasizing that this is not the first time such an incident has occurred within the same police department
In a lengthy statement released by police last week, Jackson said Pac-Man was medically cleared and would begin training soon.
“Appropriate training for this K-9 officer/handler and the Apacs has been arranged and will begin next week at no additional cost to Dunn taxpayers,” she said.
“All of the aforementioned care for Dunn PD’s K-9 Apacs was necessary due to the former K-9 officer’s voluntary separation from the Dunn Police Department,” Jackson writes.
“At no time were K-9 Apacs “abandoned” at the Dunn Animal Shelter. He received personal care and was given medical clearance to continue his service as a police working dog.”
The agency has not specified who the next handler for Pac-Man will be, leading to conflicting information in local reports.
The police dog was reportedly placed in the care and custody of Dunn's Animal Control Director Courtney Hayter when Ingram was placed on medical leave last year.
He was then moved to an air-conditioned kennel at the shelter as Hayter began basic law enforcement training in January.
Officer NA Blanchard is reportedly set to become his new handler, as noted in the Daily Record, but he is still waiting for a kennel to be built at his home.
However, other local media claim that Sgt. Adam Sikorski will be the new handler as he said it was time to move on.
Sikorski told WARL: “That's what he lives for – working, finding drugs, finding bad guys.” “We start training on Monday, which we're really looking forward to.”
In a lengthy statement released by police last week, Jackson said Pac-Man was medically cleared and would begin training soon
The agency has not specified who the next handler for Pac-Man will be, leading to conflicting information in local reports
According to a post shared by an account called “Pac-Man Retire K-9 Officer APAC,” the police dog was assigned to its third handler for training last week.
The petition to allow Pac-Man has since drawn overwhelming responses from social media users, including some locals who even attended last week's City Council meeting to voice their concerns.
Johnnie Jackson, who has worked with dogs in law enforcement, including with the Dunn Police Department, is one of the advocates for Pac-Man's retirement.
“The way K-9 Pacman was treated by Chief Cary Jackson infuriates me.” I have lost all respect for the leadership of the Dunn Police Department and their council.
“The permitted movements of this 7-year-old dog are devoid of any common sense or heart,” he added.
“For this dog to have been in a shelter for two months and now suddenly one week he's thrown with a handler and another week he's in a school is, in my opinion, too much for an old dog. ” he said at the city council meeting.
“It's like I stayed in my job for 49 years, or you, and then suddenly I was kicked out, where I could run like I used to and jump like I used to, because when they say, 'Go to school, it's not an easy school. “
has reached out to the Dunn Police Department for comment and further information.