A pet dumped on the roadside in a cage at 4 months previous has joined Surrey Police as a educated sniffer canine.
Chester the cocker spaniel was rescued by the RSPCA after he was discovered by a member of the general public deserted in a metallic crate with 5 different puppies on a grass verge in Hersden, close to Canterbury, in January.
The 4 cocker spaniels and two terrier crossbreed puppies have been thought to have been deserted after having handed the age when they’re most marketable.
RSPCA inspector Clive Hopwood mentioned: “It’s very potential these puppies have been deserted by a breeder. We imagine these puppies might have did not promote in order that they have been deserted having handed their ‘cute’ stage after they’re most marketable and most useful.”
It rapidly turned obvious that Chester had “big power ranges”, making it troublesome for the RSPCA to rehome him, till volunteer fosterers observed he had an actual drive for “looking out and sniffing issues out”.
Sarah Piggott, who works for the RSPCA and fostered Chester, mentioned: “No quantity of strolling or enrichment appeared to exhaust him.
“I realised he had an actual drive for looking out and sniffing issues out when he’d simply discover different canines’ misplaced tennis balls on walks and saved bringing them to me.”
Tara Luxford, who adopted Chester’s brother, Bertie, mentioned Chester was “at all times destined” to hitch the police to change into a sniffer canine.
“I keep in mind someday we have been strolling them collectively and Bertie had misplaced his new toy in a bush and we couldn’t attain it,” Ms Luxford mentioned.
“We informed Chester to ‘discover it’ and he went straight into the bush and obtained it again for Bertie.
“He was at all times destined to be a sniffer canine.”
In March, Chester was taken in by Surrey Police and started the method of coaching to change into a sniffer canine with a particular foster household.
Ms Piggott mentioned she was “so proud” of her former foster pet and added she is “thrilled” he has lastly been rehomed.
“Chester has accomplished rather well and caught as much as the opposite puppies who have been bred to be sniffer canines and began their coaching earlier than him,” Ms Piggott mentioned.
“I’m so pleased with him and I’m thrilled that he’s discovered a house the place he can do what he loves every single day whereas being properly sorted.”
After finishing a six-week intensive coaching course, PD Chester turned a licensed police sniffer canine in October and he was celebrated at a ceremony at Surrey Police HQ.
The “wonderful” pup has now been deployed throughout Surrey and Sussex to assist the police alongside his handler PC Kim Hackett.
Surrey Police operational and canine faculty supervisor Geoff Wiltshire mentioned: “Chester has been wonderful since he arrived with us.
“He has gone from energy to energy and has accomplished rather well to go his digital detection course.
“Our requirements are very excessive and he has confirmed himself to have all the required qualities to achieve this essential position.
“His handler, Kim, has an ideal bond with him and we stay up for seeing some operational outcomes from this new group.”
