'Retirement home' set up for police dogs in Gujarat

Anand: A special home has been set up for retired police dogs in Anand district of Gujarat to provide proper facilities to them as an acknowledgment of their service after they are rendered unfit for job due to old age or other reasons, an official said.

This dedicated old age home is equipped with boarding and medical facilities to ensure their comfortable stay and well-being, Deputy Superintendent of Police J J Chaudhary said.

"At present, the old age home - a first of its kind in the country - houses 20 dogs, including 16 retired ones, two on-duty, and two trainee dogs," he said.

This facility has 23 rooms for the retired members of the police dog squad, and three for on-duty dogs, offering food, medical care, and a clean living environment, said Chaudhary, who is in-charge of the police dogs' old age home.

The retired members of the police dog squad receive a daily diet of 700 grams of milk, 170 grams of roti, one egg in the morning, and 280 grams of mutton in the evening, along with vegetables and rice, he said.

The inmates also undergo medical check-ups by the doctors of veterinary hospitals during the day, he said.

"All the dogs kept in the old age home are examined by the doctors of the veterinary hospital every 15 days. If an emergency occurs, the dogs are immediately taken to the hospital and given treatment. A police van is also allocated for this purpose," Chaudhary said.

As per their daily routine, the dogs are taken out of their barracks and left to play in the open during mornings and evenings. They are also given a workout, fed and put back in the barracks, he said.

On Saturdays, Sundays and on public holidays, people are allowed to meet these dogs, spend time with them, and feed them, Chaudhary added.

The retirement process involves an annual fitness test, and the dogs failing to clear it or sustain injuries during duty are considered retired and certified as unfit.

Exposure to explosives reduces the lifespan of a working police dog and they typically retire at 8 to 10 years of age, officials said.