As part of National Volunteer week, we are proud to share the experience of one of our Police Dog Welfare Visitors. These volunteers check on the physical and emotional wellbeing of Cheshire Constabulary’s canine division. Ensuring that they are treated properly and fairly, follow training programmes correctly and are house and transported in the correct way.
Suzanne chose to volunteer for the Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner in this role, because she has a huge passion for dogs. Read what she has to say.
I have a deep respect for their training, work ethic and the important role the dogs play in the police force. I’ve always loved dogs, so being able to volunteer in this role is really rewarding for me.
As a volunteer, when you go to the kennels to do your checks, you never know which dogs you’ll see. There are the public protection dogs which tend to be the German Shepherds (and other similar breed), and the search dogs which are the labradors and spaniels. With this variation I feel like the role is unique. I get to see all the hard work that the trainers and handlers put in whilst showing the dogs care and compassion. It really is amazing.
The best part of volunteering for me is watching the dogs and their handlers together I can see how much they enjoy working together, and this is so fulfilling when you think that my role is to ensure the welfare of these animals. The strong partnerships forged between handler and dog is testament to the good work they do across the county.
If opportunities arise in this area, I will highly recommend becoming a Police Dog Welfare Visitor to anyone. Please don’t be fooled. It’s not puppy cuddles – some of the general purpose dogs don’t look too cute and cuddly…especially when they are in work mode.
The responsibilities we have to observe the interactions and conditions they’re in is one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had.
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