Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (Commissioner), David Allen, joined the Animal Welfare Scheme visitors on Friday 9 May at the Police HQ Dog Unit, to see how the schemes successfully checks on Cumbria Police dog’s welfare.
Animal Welfare Scheme visitors provide independent scrutiny, which gives the public reassurance that Cumbria Constabulary Police dogs are well looked after. The scheme covers people who interact with the dogs, including trainers and handlers.. The visitors voluntarily give up their own time to attend regular checks on both the county’s Police dogs, as well as Sellafield’s Police dogs. At the conclusion of each visit, the AWS visitors will complete a report form and copies are sent to the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and the nominated Police Dog Officer, to consider any recommendations made.
Talking about the Animal Welfare Scheme, Commissioner David Allen comments: “The role that our police dogs play in catching criminals, finding missing people and providing protection to frontline policing is vital.
“This is why my Office has recently invested £200,000 to help develop the facilities for our Police dogs in Cumbria, in line with the ‘Five Needs of Dog Welfare’ as promoted by the Dog’s Trust.
“It’s important to celebrate the fantastic work our Police dogs and handlers provide, and it is also essential that we check all of the welfare considerations the dogs are given, to ensure they receive the correct level of care, respect and provisions they rightly deserve.
“Our Animal Welfare Scheme (AWS) visitors, in partnership with the Dog’s Trust, are independent members of the local community who observe, comment and report on the conditions in which the Constabulary’s dogs are housed, trained and transported.
“Each one of the AWS visitors are also Independent Custody Visitors and we are incredibly fortunate to have such a strong team of volunteers in Cumbria, checking the welfare of detainees in custody, as well as the welfare of our Police dogs. I really appreciate everything that they do and all the time they willingly give as volunteers.
“Our Police dogs are basically a Force multiplier for our Police officers and are considered to be as much a part of our wider Police family, as our Police Officers and Police staff are.”
Sergeant Aidan Bew, of the force dog section, said: “The animal welfare scheme gives a level of oversight that can offer further reassurance to the public.
“Our police dogs are an integral part of Cumbria Constabulary and the wider policing family. It is only right their welfare is one of our top priorities.”
One of the Animal Welfare Scheme volunteers commented: “I’ve been doing this role for seven years now and it’s really good to see further investment into the facilities here at the Dog’s Unit.
“It’s important that our Police dogs are treated properly both during their lives in service, as well as in their retirement.”
More information on the Animal Welfare Scheme and the Independent Custody Visitors programme can be found at: Custody Visiting - Cumbria PFCC
If you wish to report to police you can do so online at Report a crime | Cumbria Police. You can also phone on 101. Always phone 999 in an emergency or if a crime is in progress.