Royal Canin has donated dog agility equipment and provided specialist training to officers at the BCH police dog unit.
The police dog unit provides around-the-clock support to Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire police forces. The agility equipment presented to the unit will be used to train their Shepherds, Dutch Herders, Spaniels and Labradors so they are prepared for the situations they will face when on duty.
Royal Canin also provided specialist nutritional training to more than 30 dog handlers from three forces to help them understand the impact that nutrition can have on their dog’s health, growth, performance and body condition.
Martyn Cherry, national account manager at Royal Canin, said: “We are very proud to support the BCH police dogs and their handlers. We have been working with the forces for 15 years to support both active and retired police dogs and their handlers.
“We are also actively involved in supporting the annual police dog trials across the country. The dogs provide invaluable support to the communities they serve and we work together to supply the forces with tailored nutritional for their dogs’ specific needs.”
Event organiser Instructor PC Jim Hoare added: “It’s been a great opportunity for the department to enhance our understanding of the dietary needs of modern day police dogs. It’s also afforded us ability to share ideas, working practices and training methods with regional colleagues. I’m very grateful for the generosity shown, the agility equipment will be a valuable asset in our training facilities.”
The BCH unit plays a vital role in the fight against crime – from searching for a missing person to tracking down a burglar. Some of the dogs are trained to detect drugs, cash, firearms or explosives through their enhanced sense of smell.
