Deputy’s lawsuit says sheriff ’s dogs mistreated

A Palm Beach County Sheriff ’s deputy has filed a whistleblower lawsuit accusing his superiors of demoting him after he questioned how dogs in the agency’s K-9 unit were being treated.

Justin Rigney, a 10-year veteran of the Sheriff ’s Office and K-9 handler for seven years, alleges in the lawsuit filed this month in Palm Beach County Circuit Court that the dogs were malnourished and kept in an “emaciated state.”

The Sheriff’s Office conducted an internal review and determined insufficient evidence existed to verify the allegations, and no further investigation was needed, according to a memo written by Capt. John L. Prieschl on July 17.

Rigney is also at the center of a wrongful death lawsuit filed against him and the department earlier this month, alleging he used excessive force when he shot Ricky Whidden, a 46-year-old with schizophrenia, on Dec. 31 in Loxahatchee.

In a statement, agency spokeswoman Teri Barbera called the deputy’s allegations of animal neglect “totally false” and said Sheriff Ric Bradshaw has a reputation in the community of being an animal lover.

“The sheriff would never allow the mistreatment of any of his K-9 unit dogs and has ensured they are in the best of health,” Barbera said.

Rigney took his concerns to his superiors and was placed on administrative leave with pay from May 22 until June 7 during the internal review, according to the Sheriff ’s Office.

In a letter to Prieschl, Rigney said he and his wife Alison, a dog trainer and retired Hollywood police officer who investigated animal abuse cases during her career, observed mistreatment and neglect in the patrol dog academy.

“Based on our training, knowledge and experience, the