Police dog badly hurt trying to escape six-month kennel confinement - TimesLIVE

A police arson-detection dog has been badly injured while confined to a kennel.

The dog, named Sky, was known to have severe kennel anxiety yet was locked into a small cage — in a room without natural light — and left alone at the police’s Roodeplaat veterinary facility near Pretoria over the weekend.

On Monday morning, she was found with multiple fractures, cuts and extensive bleeding. Her leg was trapped in the kennel gate. She was taken to Onderstepoort for emergency treatment.

The K9 was separated from her handler in Limpopo after being taken off operational duty.

Ian Cameron, chairperson of the parliamentary portfolio committee on police, has opened a criminal case for investigation. The DA MP has also asked the SPCA special projects unit and the South African Veterinary Council to conduct independent investigations.

This after he was informed that police management had been warned repeatedly that the Belgian shepherd was suffering from severe kennel anxiety and continued confinement placed her at risk.

Cameron learnt from an SAPS veterinary certificate that a warning about Sky’s extreme kennel anxiety had been documented again 10 days before the latest injuries.

The five-year-old dog had been at the police’s Roodeplaat training and veterinary facility since March after previously injuring her face and legs and tearing teeth from her jaw while attempting to escape, he said.

“The certificate records that her escape attempts were ‘persistent and compulsive’, causing repeated injuries.

“She was diagnosed with separation anxiety and severe kennel stress. It further states that she continued trying to escape when left unattended, that her prognosis in the SAPS environment was poor and that keeping her there compromised her welfare.

“Yet, according to information supplied to me, Sky continued being confined for approximately 18 hours every day in a small indoor kennel, in a room without natural light. This reportedly continued for at least 160 days, that is roughly six months.

“She was allegedly left unattended from Sunday afternoon until she was found catastrophically injured on Monday morning.

”Those who knew about the danger, had the authority to act and failed to protect her must now be independently investigated and held accountable,“ Cameron said.

Police have confirmed that an investigation has been opened.

National police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said: “It would be premature to attribute negligence or wrongdoing before all the facts have been established.

“Sky is no longer an operational K9 and had a history of escaping from the kennels at her previous base in Limpopo. A decision was therefore taken to accommodate her at the Roodeplaat veterinary facility while arrangements were being made for her placement with a suitable new owner. The donation process was still under way when the incident occurred.”

Mathe said the probe would span the dog’s accommodation, supervision, care and compliance with applicable procedures and standards.

“Our K9s are part of the SAPS family and deserve to be treated with care, dignity and compassion. Should any shortcomings be identified, appropriate action will be taken.”

Cameron has asked for the investigations to look into conditions at the facility, its kennel safety, after-hours supervision, veterinary standards and the conduct of those responsible for Sky’s care.

“The question is simple: can SAPS be trusted to operate an animal hospital if it cannot demonstrate that animals in its care are properly monitored and protected?

“This is not an attack on dedicated dog handlers. It is about whether management ignored clear warnings and failed an animal that depended entirely on them.

“Sky served SAPS. When she became vulnerable, SAPS still had a duty to protect her.”