Police developing rules to put down canine unit officers

The City of Winnipeg is mulling a more formal policy on the life and death of police dogs.

A report set to be presented to the city's executive policy committee outlines a possible framework for the purchase, sale, adoption or euthanasia of Winnipeg Police Service dogs and puppies.

If approved, the recommendations would give the Winnipeg police chief the discretion to authorize the euthanasia of dogs that pose "unmanageable risk" to the public or retired dogs whose "health, wellbeing, placement or care is unmanageable."

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Since 1999, WPS has operated its own in-house breeding program for police dogs, making it one of the few police services in North America to do so, according to its website.

In the past three decades, three working dogs have been put down for "unmanageable vicious behaviour," the report states. Retired dogs are also put down in the interest of health and well-being, in consultation with the WPS veterinarian.

"The WPS takes care to ensure all possible alternative solutions have been explored before utilizing euthanasia as a last resort," the report says.

Police dogs are trained in tracking, or to detect narcotics or explosives, the WPS said on its website. Canine unit teams are called in to track suspects, search buildings, locate evidence and find missing people.

The police canine facility can house 23 dogs, and the program produces more puppies than it needs. Dogs who don't end up in the Winnipeg canine unit are sold to other police agencies the preferred recipients security companies or private individuals.

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Puppies that can't be sold will be sent to the Winnipeg Humane Society to be adopted out, if the city follows through on its intention to enter into an agreement with the shelter.

The report will be presented toEPC on July 5.