Officials are training to continue to support courageous police dogs on the front lines

Northamptonshire Police Dog handlers have learned new skills to support their four-legged colleagues who bravely put themselves in danger every week.

Troop members attended puppy first aid training provided by the Royal Army Veterinary Corp within the Defense Animal Training Regiment (DATR).

The one-day course dealt with emergency animal first aid, which has given the troop leaders the skills to treat minor injuries such as cuts and scrapes, as well as stabilizing their canine companions when they suffer major injuries and require veterinary care.

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The Defense Animal Training Regiment provides animal handling training for more than 400 employees and role-specific training for hundreds of military and work animals each year.

Sergeant Chris Monday of the Northamptonshire Police Dog Section said, “By learning from the Royal Army Veterinary Corp’s extensive experience treating injured military dogs, our handlers are now better prepared to care for our police dogs.

“Our dogs risk their lives every day to protect their handlers and our communities from harm.

“This was the first animal first aid course given by the Northamptonshire Police Department. However, we are working with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps to investigate how we can better work together in the future to keep our service dogs safe. “

The Northamptonshire Police Department’s canine division recently made its largest investment in years with the introduction of its latest state-of-the-art fleet of vehicles and a 50 percent increase in the number of dog handlers.

There are currently 14 working dogs and meanwhile 15 specially trained dog trainers.

The Northamptonshire Police Department would like to say a big thank you to Sergeant Rebecca Burton and Lance Corporal Charlotte Thomson for making training easier – and training dummy Jerry for his dedication.

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