Causes of loss or retirement from active duty for New Zealand police German shepherd dogs
The aim of this study was to determine the causes of loss from active duty amongst German shepherd dogs in service with the New Zealand Police Dog Section. Current or previous police dog handlers (n = 149) completed a postal survey for each dog they had worked with during their career including their current dog. […]
Comparative well-being of horses kept under total or partial confinement prior to employment for mounted patrols
Horses kept in stables may exhibit undesirable behaviours and stress during police service. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of confinement, i.e., time in stalls, on horse behaviour and welfare employed by mounted patrols in urban areas. Eight adult horses were subjected to one of two types of confinement during 16 […]
Automated real-time stress monitoring of police horses using wearable technology
Mounted police horses and riders are repeatedly subjected to demanding and stressful situations. Intensive selection and training of police horses is required to ensure performance, safety and welfare of the horses and their riders. At the mounted police in Brussels, Belgium, the selection of police horses is mainly based on intuition built upon previous experience […]