FRANKFORT, Ind. (WRTV) — A K-9 handler with the Frankfort Police Department has been charged after being accused of interacting with his K-9 partner cruelly.
The Boone County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday that Ethan Cunningham, 24, faces charges of official misconduct and animal cruelty.
The investigation into Cunningham started in March after the Lebanon Police Department received an animal abuse complaint.
When speaking with the complainant, they learned the person watched Cunningham interact with his K-9, Taz, in a way that they believed was “cruel and unnecessary.”
The complainant also shared videos of the interaction, police said.
At the time, Frankfort police said K-9 Taz had no visible injuries and was going to be in the care of a company specializing in police K-9s during the investigation.
Police eventually passed off the investigation to the Boone County Sheriff’s Office due to a conflict of interest. Detectives then conducted multiple interviews, reviewed videos, and obtained records, which soon led to the criminal charges against Cunningham.
Cunningham was listed as an inmate at the Boone County Jail as of Friday morning.
A court date has not been set.
