A Smithfield animal control officer — under investigation for letting a dog die of exposure — originally lied and wrote that the dog had been adopted, police confirmed Friday.

Officer Brady Robbins entered a report saying he took the 4-year-old yellow Labrador retriever to the Cache Humane Society, said Smithfield police Sgt. Nick Hidalgo.

In fact, Robbins left the dog, named Lola, in an unshaded kennel for almost four days before it was found dead on June 27.

But a day after entering the first report, Robbins entered another report admitting what actually occurred.

"Fearing repercussion from the city and public, and having not been in this situation before I inserted a supplemental that read I had taken the dog to Cache Humane Society when the animal was actually deceased," Robbins wrote, according to The Herald Journal, which obtained a copy of some of the investigation documents and reported on them Friday. "Supplemental" is a police term for making an addendum to a report.

Hidalgo said the case has been referred to the Cache County Attorney for possible criminal charges against Robbins.

"I'm not aware of what the county attorney is looking at as far as possible prosecution," Hidalgo said.

Robbins picked up Lola — who had no tags — on June 23 at about 12:15 p.m. near 858 S. Main St. He took the dog to a city kennel that is intended for holding animals no longer than 48 hours. The officer gave Lola food and water when he placed her in the kennel, but didn't return to care for her or take her to the Cache Humane Society, as is procedure, Smithfield police Sgt. Travis Allen said earlier this month.

The dog was discovered June 27. Animal-control officers disposed of Lola's body at the Logan landfill, which has a special area for dead animals.

Lola belonged to a Hyde Park resident who said the dog ran off a few hours before Robbins found her.

ncarlisle@sltrib.com

Twitter: @natecarlisle