Police dog carers in the county hailed by canine charity
The paw-some care for police dogs at West Mercia Police has been recognised for a seventh year with an accreditation from the Dogs Trust.
Ensuring the care the four-legged officers receive is up to scratch is the responsibility of West Mercia's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) John Campion and his team.
The PCC said he was delighted to confirm the latest accreditation from the Dogs Trust, formally recognising the organisation under its Animal Welfare Scheme (AWS).
Through the AWS, the PCC provides assurance that animal welfare is treated as a priority and that appropriate safeguards are in place.
To ensure the dogs are cared for in line with recognised standards of welfare and wellbeing, the PCC recruits independent volunteers to observe the animals’ care and carry out welfare reviews to provide independent scrutiny.
Dogs Trust provides national oversight, guidance and specialist expertise to support the scheme with the accreditation confirming processes for the care, management, and oversight of working dogs meets the organisation’s standards.
As part of this recognition, West Mercia Police is eligible to receive suitable working dogs through the scheme.
PCC John Campion said: “Police dogs are an incredible asset to delivering on our commitment to tackling crime across our communities, and it’s right they are treated with respect and the highest standards of care.
“Not a week goes by I don’t read about how they have assisted in the search for a missing person, helped at a drugs warrant, or been on scene to assist in the arrest of a suspect.
“I’d like to thank Dogs Trust for their partnership and for the important work they do in championing animal welfare nationally, the independent volunteers, and also all the West Mercia Police dog handlers, trainers, and kennel staff who work incredibly hard looking after and training the dogs.”
Chief Inspector Andy Wortley, the force lead for the dog unit, said: “Our police dogs are beyond valuable to policing our three counties and they make outstanding contributions to keep communities safe every day.
“Our dog handlers, training team, and kennel staff work tirelessly to ensure that the welfare of our police dogs is maintained to the highest standards.
“We are grateful to the team at the Dogs Trust who have always provided support to us in ensuring our dogs receive the highest standard of care.”
