Texas Shelter Dog Gets 'Promoted' to Rock Star Narcotics Detection K9
When the Fort Worth police department wanted a new narcotics K9, they decided to adopt a dog from the Fort Worth Animal Control's Animal Care and Adoption Center.
Getting a police dog from overseas can be extremely expensive, so not only did the police department save a lot of money, they also saved a life. And the dog they rescued turned out to be an incredibly valuable member of the force.
CBS News reports, Fort Worth officer Kristopher Thompson asked the shelter, "Do you have any high-energy dogs?' Just kind of as a joke."
The force adopted Rock who quickly passed the test to go from shelter dog to K-9 narcotics officer.
Fox News reported that Sgt. Charles Hubbard of the Fort Worth Police Department said "I'm talking 20,000, 100,000, 500,000 pills off the street before they ever get out into our community," Hubbard said of the role narcotics detection K-9s play in law enforcement
Related: Police K9 Dog's Spot-On Siren Impression Is Cracking Everyone Up
Just last summer then-six-month-old Rock was found wandering around the city with his sister. His sister Jade, was just as smart as her brother, but due to the fact she has a "softer" personality she was placed as a school resource pup.
Police dogs are such an important addition to any force, and it sounds like becoming a police K9 was adorable Rock's calling. Hubbard was also quoted as saying "And I'll tell you what, every time I get him out of the car, and even when he's at home off duty — when he comes out of his kennel, he's sniffing."
It's so wonderful to think this dog went from living on the streets to keeping drugs off the street. Good boy, Rock!
What Goes In To Training a Police Dog
The US Department of Justice reports that the total average cost of a successful canine police program is $55,672.42.
Not only do these incredible dogs have to be trained for drug detection, but also how to perform search and rescue and how to help apprehend criminals.
Police dogs able to search through rubble after a devastating explosion, earthquake, or other disaster. They find people lost in avalanches. These dogs search for explosives and illegal drugs, they canvas large events to look for explosives, and help search civilian vehicles that have been pulled over.
Basic training for the patrol dogs takes approximately 4 months of full-time work, sometimes longer.
In addition to that, these amazing pups are like family both to the officers who work with them and their relatives.
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