In a landmark decision, the Haryana Police has decided to stop the practice of auctioning dogs and horses after they retire from service. Instead, special retirement homes will be established to ensure a dignified, safe, and caring life for these animals that have played a crucial role in law enforcement for decades.
According to the plan, a dedicated retirement home for police dogs will be set up in Kurukshetra, while retired police horses will be housed at the Police Training Centre (RTC) Bhondsi complex. The initiative is being hailed as a model step that could inspire similar measures in other states.
The retirement homes will focus on the health, nutrition, and overall well-being of the animals. Police officials said special arrangements will be made for regular veterinary care, balanced diets, and a stress-free environment. While on active duty, each police horse is fed around 3 to 3.5 kg of bran, 8-10 kg of green fodder, and 8-10 kg of dry fodder daily, along with grains and mineral supplements.
In retirement, their workload will reduce significantly, and their food intake will be adjusted accordingly. Police dogs will be provided with high-protein food, meat or eggs, rice, vegetables, and supplements as per veterinary advice, along with regular health check-ups and open spaces.
At present, the Haryana Police has around 100 trained dogs, including German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, and Labradors. These dogs are deployed for critical tasks such as detecting drugs and explosives, tracing criminals, theft detection, crowd control, and even tracking the movement of wild animals like leopards in sensitive areas. The force also has about 55 trained horses, which play an important role in riot control, election duties, ceremonial parades, and maintaining law and order.
The service tenure of police dogs is generally up to 18 years, while horses serve for around 20 years. Until now, retired horses were auctioned for approximately Rs 50,000-55,000 and dogs for Rs 20,000-25,000. The Haryana Police has now decided to completely discontinue this practice.
Brigadier (Retd) Sandeep Singh Kashyap, Consultant for K9 and Mounted Police with the State Crime Branch, said dogs and horses are an integral part of the police force and should be treated with respect. “These animals are not just resources but true soldiers of the police. The retirement homes reflect the department’s gratitude and sensitivity towards their invaluable service,” he said.