By In a heartbreaking picture that's going viral, a Houston police officer is seen lying down next to a dying horse that had just been hit by a truck. Charlotte, who had served the Houston Police Department for four years before her tragic accident, became spooked by a passing cement truck and fearfully bucked the officer riding her before she ran straight into oncoming traffic.
A driver accidentally slammed right into Charlotte, fatally injuring her in the Houston streets. The officer immediately lay down beside the horse and held her head close to his before she took her final breath.
The Animal Justice League posted the moving picture on its Facebook page, offering condolences to the Houston Police Department.
The HPD also released a statement about its beloved Charlotte, highlighting all of the wonderful things she had done for the force in the past few years.
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of Charlotte, an HPD Mounted Patrol horse, who died in the line of duty this morning in a motor vehicle accident. … Charlotte came to HPD as an unstarted 2-year old Tennessee Walker from Oklahoma. She thrived in HPD Mounted Patrol's barefoot and natural horsemanship programs. She passed her evaluation period with flying colors and was working the streets of Downtown Houston within a short time of being started under saddle. She loved her job and was always ready to go to work putting bad guys in jail or giving nuzzles to children. She served the citizens of Houston for 4 years. She will be missed.
Thank you for all you've done Charlotte—may you rest in peace.
[via The Dodo
