Information gathered by the Boksburg Advertiser suggests that the EMPD K9 Unit’s canines have been “off duty” since lockdown started last year and, thus, confined to their kennels at the unit in Boksburg for the past 13 months.
The resultant inactivity has led to behavioural problems, typical of animals that are confined.
The kennels were found dirty with the dogs having no bed boards or other bedding and often left without even clean drinking water, sometimes in the scorching summer heat.
The function of these K9 Unit police dogs is to render essential services, including detecting explosives, firearms, narcotics and ammunition. They are also used for school searches, dog shows, crime prevention, crowd control and other law enforcement activities.
Not true
The metro has rejected claims that the animals have not been working since the start of lockdown or are in bad health.
Spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said its available dogs are ‘fit and healthy’ to provide the required services to the EMPD.
“The EMPD K9 Unit dogs were vaccinated and given a health check by a vet on March 16 and all were cleared with good health.
“Dogs that have reached their retirement age are no longer being used for police services. Five of the unit’s dogs have already been retired due to their age and health.
“The retired dogs will hopefully be replaced in this financial year. A quotation has been submitted to the relevant offices,” said Dlamini.
The metro explained that the stipulated retirement age for K9 dogs is nine to 10 years, depending on the health of the dog.
According to the metro, they currently have three working patrol dogs with certified work permits from the SAPS and four others are being prepped for patrol.
In addition, there is one explosives dog with a certified work permit from the SAPS with another in training and five narcotics dogs with a certified work permit with another in training.
DA calls for investigation
The Advertiser understands that in October the DA in Gauteng called on the Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko, to investigate allegations that the EMPD’s K9 Unit dogs have reached retirement age, but were still rendering services to the EMPD.
“We have also been reliably informed that one dog died last week and that the EMPD is only left with nine K9 Unit dogs,” said the DA in a statement issued late in 2020.
The DA said it was worried that nine K9 Unit dogs were insufficient to provide much-needed services to the EMPD because they all had reached their retirement age.
The DA further stated that responding to the opposition party’s written questions tabled in council, the Ekurhuleni MMC for Community Safety Clr Frans Mmoko said the periods for replacement couldn’t be pre-determined, as prognosis can only be determined after the dog has been in service, assessing their in-service skills, health, and well-being.
“This indicates that there is no plan and no timeframe with regards to the replacement of the EMPD K9 unit dogs.
“MMC Mmoko pointed out that a budget of R2 158 836 was allocated in the 2020/21 financial year for canine and equestrian services combined.
“This also includes medical costs, feed, and veterinary services. Worryingly, there was no allocated budget for the replacement of the EMPD K9 Unit dogs,” said the DA.
Money disappeared
The Advertiser has also been informed that around R60-million was budgeted for the K9 Unit but that the money had ‘disappeared’.
According to Dlamini, no funds were allocated in the 2020/21 financial year but would be budgeted for in the 2021/22 financial year.
He added a trained dog could cost about R65 000 and an untrained dog around R30 000.
SPCA findings
The Advertiser approached the Boksburg SPCA for comment on the matter and the animal welfare society said its team had inspected the EMPD K9 facility following the DA calling for an investigation into dogs needing to be retired.
Manager Vicky Finnemore said their inspection revealed far more animal welfare concerns than simply dogs that should not be working any longer.
The SPCA visited the facility in October and found that conditions had noticeably worsened since their last inspection.
Several more inspections have been carried out since October, with the SPCA leaving behind no less than four letters of warning for the EMPD to address issues including general hygiene, the state of water bowls, lack of bedding and bed boards, veterinary treatment, lack of fly traps, broken kennel fencing, kennel management and what appeared to be stereotypical behaviour displayed by several of the EMPD dogs.
Finnemore said she believes, judging by their findings, the dogs do not appear to be receiving adequate exercise or training to allow more time out of the kennels than inside.
“Our recommendations to the unit’s head in January was at least half of the dogs, in our opinion, should have been signed off for retirement.
“These heroic animals served their primary years in the police force, putting their lives at risk to serve the community, save human lives and put criminals behind bars. What dignity does an old service dog have to work with painful arthritis in his hips and hind legs?” she said.
“We also suggested that the elderly dogs are not suitable for rehoming unless they are provided with extensive veterinary treatment and behavioural assessments. We strongly advised the unit to surrender the elderly dogs to the SPCA, which would be in their best interest.
“Sadly, we became aware that several of the dogs of retirement age were ‘rehomed’ in December – but nobody can tell us where they went. This is of major concern to us as we were also told no home checks were done before these old dogs were ‘rehomed’.
“What should have happened is a proper veterinary examination to determine their health and then proper planning for rehoming.”
Vet report
Finnemore added that in December an EMPD officer took a German shepherd named Roxine to a local vet for euthanasia.
The vet described the animal as being “skin and bone, frail and barely able to walk”.
The dog also smelled bad and further investigation revealed a large septic wound on the dog’s inner left hind leg and stomach. It was the vet’s opinion the wound was several days old and was rotting.
The vet took photographs and reported the incident to the SPCA.
“We, in turn, requested the EMPD K9 Unit to explain how the animal sustained the injuries and why she was left without veterinary treatment, but the superintendent in charge at the time could not provide answers and nobody took responsibility for the dog,” Finnemore said.
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