9 replies to this topic

[Kev]

Hi,

As it is clear that the anti's want racing banned because of the fact that not all dogs are looked after when they finish racing I assume that Amanda and others will also be campaigning for an end to the Police Force after reading this plea and the BBC article attached

SOS ( SAVE OUR SAXON)
A PLEA TO SAVE THE LIFE OF A FAITHFUL, LOYAL HONEST POLICE DOG

I refer to your article with regards to the happy retirement of police dog Kye who was serving with Gwent Police.
Kye was due to be put down at the end of his service however thanks to your article the police have now allowed him to remain with his handler and enjoy the rest of his life and retirement at home.

My Husband is a serving police dog handler and home office police dog instructor with Gwent police and for the past 4 years has had the honour and privilege of handling the most wonderful police dog. Saxon who is a 5-year-old German Shepherd has been an extremely loyal and faithful servant of the police force and has been responsible for detecting many criminals.

Saxon has been my husband's partner, sole mate trusted friend and loyal companion during his service and on many occasions my husband has been alone in very dangerous situations with only himself and Saxon to arrest serious and sometimes violent criminals.

Both my husband and Saxon have been commended for their team efforts they even had a personal letter from the chief constable on one occasion. My husband's stories to me are endless and amazing and I feel safe in the knowledge that Saxon has and will put his own life in front of my husbands to protect and look after him.

When off duty Saxon lives at home and is looked after by the whole family, my daughter takes him for walks and always plays with him. Saxon lives both in his kennel and inside our home where his favourite place is on the sofa next to my husband, sometimes I just don't get a look
in they are like a married couple.

For the past 3 months Saxon has been housed at the police kennels at Glascoed where he has been looked after by the police dog handlers whilst my husband has been away.

A few weeks ago my husband was informed that Saxon was not to be re licensed as police dog and senior officers were to make a decision as to his future. This was happening at the same time as Kye and we suspected that they were to put both Saxon and Kye down at the end of their service.
My husband stated his case and made representations on Saxons behalf offering him a retirement home with us as his family for the rest of his life. We were as a family more than happy for this to happen, Saxon is not a
danger, as anyone who knows him or has looked after him will testify. We were and are prepared to sign any agreement as to liability issues with regards to him.

Today my husband was informed that Saxon is to be destroyed and the reason given as being 'the responsible thing to do'

My husband is distraught and extremely upset this dog has meant so much to him over the years however as a serving officer cannot do anything about it due to the restrictions imposed on him by the service! He has no voice,BUT I AND MY FAMILY DO

Therefore I want to make an appeal for Saxons life and I feel that the general public should be made aware of the facts, please help us to SAVE OUR SAXON.

The police use Usk vetenary surgery at usk for all the vetenary care for police dogs, surely they cannot nor any other vetenary surgey be asked to put down a perfectly healthy, fit and loyal dog just because it has come to
the end of his service? The Police management will argue that he is a dangerous dog, well that's just nonsense, just ask all the handlers and kennel staff who look after him, all the officers who know and respect him, ask them who is the best Police dog in gwent? And guess who they will say.

I feel that the police management are treating this living animal with no regard whatsoever, like a disposable tool, he has had his use and now its time to get rid of him. Is this the thanks that they give to a loyal and faithful servant? Will they do the same to other dogs in the future? How can anyone now donate dogs to the Police Service knowing that they will be destroyed at the end of their service.

The truth about Gwent Police dog section must be heard.

The Article that you wrote about Kye was given to you for the sole intention of saving his life.

If you had not published the article then Kye would be dead. Ask the Police how many other dogs they have had killed. The police have members of the public assigned to monitor the health safety and welfare of Police dogs, well where are they in this case and what are they doing, are they just puppets on the police's strings?

Yes Saxon is the property of Gwent Police service that are answerable to the general public and police by consent.

Saxon belongs to the people of gwent who he has protected whilst we all sleep at night, who has caught criminals breaking into our homes, who has with my husband caught numerous car thieves who has faced armed and violent
criminals alone, who has found missing children cleaning their faces, who has represented Gwent Police at Regional Police Dog Trials, who has taken
part in open day events, the list goes on and on...SO MUCH FOR A DANGEROUS DOG.


http://news.bbc.co.u...les/5211180.stm

[legin]

absolutely discusting, if these dogs are put down after giving years of service protecting us public, i as manager of a well known dog sanctuary that has supplied dogs to the met, surrey, sussex, and the transport police for many years will never offer the police another dog. i think if all sanctuarys and rescue centres are made aware of this situation the police would struggle to find siutable dogs in the future. good luck in saving your dogs. nigel stentiford

[savana]

An utter disgrace another example of being above themselves and answering to no one , i hope Gwent police get bombarded with letters and emails of complaints best of luck

[Samm717]

legin, on Jul 27 2006, 05:33 PM, said:

absolutely discusting, if these dogs are put down after giving years of service protecting us public, i as manager of a well known dog sanctuary that has supplied dogs to the met, surrey, sussex, and the transport police for many years will never offer the police another dog. i think if all sanctuarys and rescue centres are made aware of this situation the police would struggle to find siutable dogs in the future. good luck in saving your dogs. nigel stentiford

Please don't tar everyone with the same brush. I agree that if this is what Gwent Police propose to do with this dog when the handler and his family are willing to offer him a home then to have him PTS is quite clearly wrong.
However not all Forces deal with their retired dogs in the same way I know of many many retired dogs who are now living at home with their handlers or have been found loving homes, most of which come from one of the Forces mentioned in your post.

[Kev]

Quote

Please don't tar everyone with the same brush. I agree that if this is what Gwent Police propose to do with this dog when the handler and his family are willing to offer him a home then to have him PTS is quite clearly wrong.
However not all Forces deal with their retired dogs in the same way I know of many many retired dogs who are now living at home with their handlers or have been found loving homes, most of which come from one of the Forces mentioned in your post.

Samm717,

My post was meant with a touch of irony despite the sad situation. What you write above is exactly what racing owners would say about greyhounds.

Kev

[legin]

[quote name='Kev' date='Jul 27 2006, 08:59 PM' post='31952']
[/quote]


Please don't tar everyone with the same brush. I agree that if this is what Gwent Police propose to do with this dog when the handler and his family are willing to offer him a home then to have him PTS is quite clearly wrong.
However not all Forces deal with their retired dogs in the same way I know of many many retired dogs who are now living at home with their handlers or have been found loving homes, most of which come from one of the Forces mentioned in your post.
[/quote]

Samm717,

My post was meant with a touch of irony despite the sad situation. What you write above is exactly what racing owners would say about greyhounds.

Kev
[/quote]

[Samm717]

Kev,

I realise where you were coming from with your initial post , unfortunately however it only takes 'one bad apple' as the saying goes.
Investigations relating to Seaham will take a long time to reach their conclusion, I only hope that when they do all owners and trainers who have had any involvement will be named and dealt with properly.
Furthermore there must be people out there who knew this was happenning and said nothing allowing it to continue. All I would say to them is who on earth did you think you were protecting, certainly not the dogs.

Sam

[legin]

as saxon must have passed his public safety test for the last five years how suddenly can he become a dangerous dog. even in the case that he is classed as a dangerous dog,dogs that are found guilty in all courts i have attended defending owners charged with having a dangerous dog in a public place have been ordered to be kept on a lead and muzzled in public. not destroyed

[bags r us]

Samm717

the rumours have been around for years most certainly people new what was going on and probably notified the authoritys who did the usual and sat on there areses til they are forced to do something about it. you cant fight the establishment till it is ready to listen. id be interested to know how the press finally got hold of it and why it took so long

Edited by bags r us, 27 July 2006 - 09:52 PM.

[swifter_uk]

legin, on Jul 27 2006, 05:33 PM, said:

absolutely discusting, if these dogs are put down after giving years of service protecting us public, i as manager of a well known dog sanctuary that has supplied dogs to the met, surrey, sussex, and the transport police for many years will never offer the police another dog. i think if all sanctuarys and rescue centres are made aware of this situation the police would struggle to find siutable dogs in the future. good luck in saving your dogs. nigel stentiford

I must admit I have always been under the impression that the handlers took their "charges" home whenever possible, it is a shame that Gwent are possibly taking the Health and Safety line that is threatening to cripple many an industry with ridiculous unworkable and often financially unviable policies.