Turns out the Indian stray is great at police work.
The police in Uttarakhand have begun training the common Indian stray dogs to work like sniffer dogs so that they can help the police identify threats and assist them in criminal investigations. This is a welcome change that has reduced dependency on pedigree dogs.
Training Indian strays for the forces
The General Inspector of police, Mr. Sanjay Gunjiyal, launched the program to train stray dogs in July, 2019. This one-of-a-kind initiative was received positively. The police now aim to include more Indian strays in their squad. The move is unusual but welcome. It is more common for the state police department, military, and paramilitary forces to train pedigree dogs like the Golden Retriever, Labrador and German Shepherd for police work.
How is the dog, Thenga, setting an example for others?
Kamlesh Pant and Ramdutt Pandey are in charge of training Thenga under the program. Both of them feel that an Indian stray is excellent for police work. Stray dogs do not require as much medical care as a pedigree does, as they are born with naturally high immunity. They eat a variety of food. Thenga’s friendliness has also endeared him to the police community.
In Kolkata, the police department adopted Asha, who showed excellent performance as a member of their elite police squad.
The force has now developed an efficient strategy to train Indian strays. Thenga is high-energy and listens to commands attentively. The cops here truly believe that Thenga is the first of many success stories.
How did the cops find Thenga?
The police department adopted Thenga at a very young age. He was not in the best medical condition. He showed significant improvement in his health and stamina after beginning his training. Thenga set a great example for the stray dog community in under two months.
The Indian stray is tough, and it makes a great pet
Keeping stray dogs in the police work makes sense economically. It cuts the cost of food, grooming and medical care. Stray dogs are also loyal, responsible and protective. They make fantastic pets. If you would like to know more, check out how you can help stray dogs here.
Did you know?
80% of dogs joining the police force are mixed breed dogs.
Source: The New Indian Express, The Better India
