DENHAM SPRINGS - A sheriff's deputy whose canine partner died after he left it inside a hot vehicle was stripped of rank, a sheriff's office spokesperson confirmed months after the animal's death. 

The Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office said this past weekend that the deputy, who has not been identified by the department, was demoted and had his pay docked as a result. It's the first time the sheriff's office has shared specifics surrounding disciplinary actions tied to the incident, which happened Aug. 20.

"In the incident involving the death of K-9 officer Ivar, the deputy was demoted resulting in a significant reduction in pay," Sheriff Jason Ard said in a statement.

Last month, the department said Ivar died of heat exhaustion after his handler failed to activate a safety device in his sheriff's office vehicle that would have prevented the K-9 from dying in such in an event.  At the time, the agency said the deputy had been disciplined but would not elaborate further.

WBRZ had been asking the sheriff's office for specifics regarding the deputy's discipline since news of the animal's death first broke in September. However, the department had declined to give further details regarding that employee's punishment until Friday.