Now that the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham are over, the team at Dogs Trust Kenilworth can reveal that its Rehoming Centre was used to accommodate and care for some of the police search dogs deployed at the games.
After two years of meticulous planning between West Midlands Police and the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, nearly 70 dogs checked into kennels at Kenilworth Rehoming Centre in Warwickshire for the duration of the games.
These highly trained specialist search dogs were from police forces across the UK, with some police dogs such as these, being recruited from one of Dogs Trust’s many Rehoming Centres while awaiting a new home. The charity’s Training and Behaviour Advisors that work within Rehoming Centres are quick to spot a dog that would benefit from a working environment and bring them to the attention of Dogs Trust Animal Welfare Scheme Coordinator, Louise Crawford.
Dogs Trust works closely with police dog units that have an Animal Welfare Scheme in place for their working dogs. Within this initiative, the Independent Visitors Scheme enables an open, ethical and transparent process for the independent monitoring of the police dogs whilst they are being transported, kennelled and trained and to ensure that all the dogs welfare needs are being met. Dogs Trust allows police forces with welfare schemes in place the opportunity to adopt a dog that has been highlighted as potentially suitable for a working home.
Former Dogs Trust dogs Jake and Jack are now both in police service, Jake with Sussex Police and Jack with Thames Valley Police.
During the Commonwealth Games, police dog Roxy, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, celebrated her birthday when she was in Kenilworth, so staff made sure she was spoiled on her special day. They also ensured all the dogs were treated to home-made frozen lollies during the heatwave weather.
Kenilworth Rehoming Centre Manager, Emma-Jane Thomas said: “We are proud to have played a part in the very successful Commonwealth Games by caring for the police dogs. It was two years in the planning so when the dogs finally arrived it was an exciting experience for us as a team and we were delighted to find that some of the police dogs were former Dogs Trust dogs. Working side by side with the police handlers was really enjoyable and of course the dogs were so well behaved, so it was a pleasure to spend time with them.”
Commonwealth Games Planning Officer, PC Catherine White of West Midlands Police said: “It was a pleasure working alongside Emma-Jane and the team from Dogs Trust during the Commonwealth Games. The support from the team was incredible and really set a high standard in mutual aid kennelling.”
