Labrador Has Been Sacked From Guide-Dog Training For Chasing Squirrels

As the saying goes: when one door closes, another opens. Well, it seems all too true for one adorable Labrador.

River, the five-year-old pooch, was recently sacked from her guide-dog training because she was being too naughty and her love for chasing squirrels seemed to have taken over. Not exactly ideal when you're directing the blind.

But her kind nature made her the perfect candidate as a therapy animal which means she has now been recruited by the police to become a therapy dog and help vulnerable victims and suspects.

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She will now be aiding people who are young or suffering from mental illness when they are taken into custody and will be leading a pilot project at Maidstone Police Station in Kent.

Sergeant Ian Sutton said: "We are often dealing with people in crisis and although their behaviour has resulted in arrest, they could be suffering with depression, anxiety or mental illness.

"Young people may find themselves in custody too and in some cases they are scared and daunted by the experience, whilst others may have difficulty in communicating.

"Being detained can exacerbate these issues and we are committed to ensure that police custody is a safe and supportive environment for both police, staff and detainees. We are always looking for new or innovative ways to achieve this."

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The custody canine is only to be used for detainees who are vulnerable or in need of support to help them be processed through custody.

In 2016, River was accredited as a therapy dog by the Pets as Therapy organisation. She spent some time supporting children in a special educational needs school, and has since been moved on for a new challenge.

River was assessed by Kent Police's dog unit trainers to ensure she had the resilience to deal with the unpredictable nature of a police station, and successfully passed the assessment in December.

Sgt Sutton added: "River has joined the team to offer emotional support to people who are experiencing difficulties, she provides a therapeutic benefit to those in crisis and helps to counter some of the negative behaviour we sometimes experience in custody.

"Since beginning work with us she has had a notable positive impact on those she has spent time and the atmosphere in custody improves when she is on shift.

"This allows staff and officers to use their time more effectively rather than diffusing situations."

Topics: Dog, UK News, News, Animals

Rebecca Shepherd

I'm Becky - a journalist at LADbible. I graduated with a First Class BA in Journalism before going on to cover criminal court cases, medical tribunals and breaking news for the national media - which inevitably and eventually became as glum as it sounds. Can often be found rocking a bag for life - which I made a 'thing' way before Rihanna. You can contact me at [email protected]

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