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Police dogs 'are abused'
23/11/2006 09:49 - (SA)
Christel Raubenheimer, Beeld
Pretoria - The police urgently need dogs for police work, and they have called on the public to help by donating suitable animals. But the animal organisation Pet Link-up is campaigning for people not to donate dogs to the police.
"No dog-breeder or owner who cares for dogs will give them to the police if they know what happens to the animals," Susan Spencer of Pet Link-up said.
She alleges that the dogs are kept in cramped conditions, are not fed properly and are subjected to traumatic handling.
Spencer also alleges that the police dogs are emotionally and physically neglected.
Cops love their dogs
She said the dogs could be donated to other government departments, or given to the governments of other countries.
"It has become clear in the past year that the police have reached a low point in canine training and testing."
"It looks as if most dog handlers have gone to Iraq, where they earn huge salaries."
"Those who are left make such a poor effort to test and train, that brilliant dogs don't work, and dogs with less self-confidence end up psychologically broken."
Most of the dogs Pet Link-up had bought from the police in the past year had suffered psychological and emotional damage as a result of their tests while with the police, Spencer said this week.
The police used to auction dogs off, but they had stopped this.
Captain Francois Bekker, police spokesperson, said the allegations made by Pet Link-up were based on outdated and incorrect information.
Although it had been the practice to auction off dogs, this had long since ceased, Bekker said.
"Police officers are passionate about their dogs and care for them properly and lovingly."
"It's a pity that a civic organisation such as this one wants to counter an initiative aimed at improving safety and security in our land," Bekker said.
He said the SAPS training unit and programmes compared well with the best in the world.
Allegations that the dogs were poorly treated were simply not true.
The police and the national council of SPCAs had reached an agreement this month to ensure that dogs were properly treated.
The SPCA's national council would also assist in seeking homes for dogs that were not suited to police work.
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