Dog’s Hot Car Death Leads To Arrest

PALMETTO, FL — A former employee of Manatee County Animal Services faces cruelty charges following the completion of an investigation into a dog’s May death.

According to Sheriff Rick Wells, Fredrick Allen Browning,35, turned himself in at the Manatee County Jail on Thursday, June 22. He faces a single count of cruelty to animals following a review of the dog’s death by deputies and the Manatee County State Attorney’s Office.

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Deputies say the incident that led to Browning’s arrest began to unfold on May 17 when he returned to the 305 25th St. W. shelter at the end of his shift. Browning, an email from Wells said, unloaded two dead dogs he had picked up in the late afternoon, but left a third dog inside his van. The third dog, Wells said, was alive and had been picked up earlier that day by Browning.

“That dog remained in the vehicle overnight and was discovered deceased the next day by another employee,” the email said.

The investigation into the dog’s death determined it “died of an apparent heat stroke,” Wells said. Browning told authorities he got into a rush and forgot to remove the live animal, the email added.

Browning was booked into the Manatee County Jail Thursday.

Browning resigned from his position at animal services shortly after the May incident, county spokesman Nicholas Azzara said.

The county also released the following statement after Browning's arrest:

Manatee County Animal Services (MCAS) can confirm the timeline of events detailed in today’s press release from Manatee Sheriff’s Office regarding an animal cruelty case involving a former MCAS employee. On the same day MCAS staff discovered the deceased animal, MCAS staff informed Manatee Sheriff’s Office of the incident and requested a criminal investigation.

The Sheriff’s Office subsequently opened an investigation, and on May 22 the employee was put on unpaid, administrative leave. He later resigned from MCAS on May 25. Throughout the past three weeks, Manatee County Animal Services has fully cooperated with the Sheriff’s Office investigation.

Immediately following the incident, MCAS Chief Sarah Brown implemented a new policy to avoid a similar lapse in the future. Now, when an MCAS officer returns his or her vehicle at the end of a work shift, a second employee does a thorough inspection to ensure no animals remain in the vehicle.

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Booking photo courtesy of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office