Dog handlers face legal risks due to new orders requiring them to use own cars, raising safety and welfare concerns.
Dog handlers might break the law, surprisingly. Their bosses told them something new.
They must use their own cars to get to scenes.
Before, they used special dog vans. These vans are designed for animal transport. They even have soundproofing for barking dogs. Now managers want them to ditch the vans.
This change worries police representatives a lot. The new rules may break vehicle weight laws. Insurance might not cover accidents in private cars. Private cars lack protection from noisy dogs.
Also, they’re not designed for safe animal transport. Brian Jones raised safety and welfare issues. He works for the Scottish Police Federation (SPF). The force seems to ignore their concerns anyway.
A job advert said handlers use their cars. They get paid mileage for essential use. They also get transit cages for their dogs. However, the size of handlers’ cars wasn’t checked.
Weight limits could be exceeded easily too. A cage, dog, plus equipment adds up quickly. This could cause accidents and legal problems. The old vans had partitions for noise.
Without them, barking might hurt hearing. Dog barks can get very loud sometimes. Levels can exceed 100 decibels during work. Health rules limit noise exposure to 87 decibels.
Higher noise levels can cause hearing loss. Jones said the force isn’t properly funded now. Officers bear the brunt of these shortcomings. The force might break safety regulations for savings.
Emma Croft stated handlers receive an allowance. It helps them buy suitable vehicles for dogs.