Are Police Dogs Ethical? Your Questions, Answered

Whenever we engage with animals or utilize them for our benefit, it raises ethical concerns. Putting dogs on active duty to serve the police force does not get any exceptions.

Many people may feel uneasy seeing this animal worked in this way. Should you put an animal to work at all when they cannot choose whether or not they want to?

While we should never brush off ethical implications, you can rest assured that ethics remain intact when the police force employs their K9s. Read on to learn how police dogs live well on the police force.

Should We Employ Animals?

If the employment of dogs does not sit well with you, then we must also argue the use of herding, farming, hunting, and therapy animals. Dogs actually thrive when given a specific purpose.

Working dogs enjoy their tasks and they love working alongside their humans that feel like family. Thousands of dollars go into each K9s training to ensure the dogs’ safety and the safety of others.

Police Only Choose Suitable Breeds

Just as humans go through an aptitude test prior to joining the force, so do dogs. You will never see a chihuahua chasing down criminals or a bulldog sniffing out drugs for a reason.

The police force chooses dogs bred for specific traits and puts them into a line of work that suits their strengths. If a dog cannot safely perform their tasks in training, then they do not put them on the force.

Are Police Dogs Treated Well?

The law protects police dogs from everybody, including the force itself. A thousand dollar fine and 10 years in prison make positive reinforcement and operant conditioning much more likely in the training of these pups.

Many people buy dogs with good intentions and then accidentally neglect them during the day when work and life get in the way. Since K9 units need so much training, they often spend more time with humans than the average house pet. Officers fall in love with their partners and often treat them well.

It would not serve a police force to underfeed or neglect their units. Proper care ensures that these animals can perform in tip-top condition.

Benefits of Police Dogs

Now that you know that police dogs get treated well and probably actually enjoy their work, let’s discuss the benefits that they provide to humanity through their service. The police count on these specialized units.

When somebody goes missing, hounds can effectively search out their scent, even through wooded areas and vast expanses. Their sense of smell makes them a critical part of the bomb squad, to actually save cities.

These animals can also run faster than most humans and do well at disarming criminals. Check out 3dk9detection.com if your force needs a top-notch unit!

Police Dogs Work

While police dogs cannot say yes or no to a task, they can refuse to perform. Dogs will complete a task because they enjoy the rewards, praise, and sense of duty that follows. This makes them excellent workers who you can make a critical part of your team.

Do you want to know more about feeding your K9 unit? Find nutrition facts on our dog food page!