ST. JOSEPH – A former Savannah Police Officer and dog handler came to court July 18 and changed his plea to guilty ending a case that gained intense local interest as well as a national footnote.

In a courtroom hearing Friday covered exclusively by the Savannah Reporter, Circuit Judge Daniel Kellogg accepted the guilty plea from former Savannah Police Lt. Dan Zeigler prior to sentencing.

Kellogg noted the case was a tragedy for all concerned but that Zeigler has had to repeatedly relive the moment. The judge ordered a suspended imposition of sentence with two years of court supervised probation and $5,000 fee to be paid to the Crime Victim’s Compensation Fund.

Then Kellogg looked at Zeigler and said he wanted the former police officer to see what it’s like inside a jail, ordering him to spend a weekend in jail. Zeigler also had to surrender his post certification and can no longer be a law enforcement officer in the state of Missouri.

If Zeigler successfully completes his two years of court supervised probation he will have no criminal conviction, but he still won’t be able to resume his law enforcement career.

After an investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Missouri Attorney General’s office charged Zeigler with a Class A misdemeanor of animal abuse. The charge carried a maximum sentence of up to one year in jail and/or up to a $2,000 fine.

Zeigler confessed Friday that back on June 20, 2024, he failed to provide adequate care for Horus by leaving the police dog in the patrol vehicle. The car’s emergency system had been turned off and without cool air and with rising temperatures, Horus died during the eight hours Zeigler said he was sleeping.

Assistant Attorney General Mellisa Pierce told the judge the facts speak for themselves.

She recommended a suspended imposition of sentence with two years’ probation for the defendant, who has no prior criminal record. The state also suggested a $5,000 restitution based on the cost for a replacement animal.

Both sides agreed to whatever amount Kellogg thought to be fair.

Defense attorney Michael T. Feeback echoed the state’s characterization that the case was a tragedy. He had been working for the last year on a fair sentence for his client.

When the death was originally reported in June 2024, Andrew County Prosecutor Monica Morrey and Associate Circuit Judge Emily Bauman withdrew from the controversial case to ensure the crime was properly handled without any official or unofficial influence.