KATHMANDU, April 7: Nepal Police has initiated the procurement process for acquiring 12 additional canines for investigation.
With the rising demand for trained police canines in crime investigation, the Naxal Police Headquarters has issued tenders to bring in a dozen dogs from overseas.
"We are in the process of acquiring 12 canines from abroad, and they are expected to arrive within the next 2 months," stated a police official.
Two held with tiger canines
Presently, Nepal Police employs over 80 trained dogs across various specialized categories such as tracking, drug detection, explosives and weapons detection, patrolling, security, and search and rescue. As some of these dogs retire, the need for additional dogs arises.
Nepal Police has previously acquired dogs from Europe, Thailand, America, and India, predominantly German Shepherds and Belgian Shepherds, each costing up to Rs 500,000.
The estimated cost for procuring 12 dogs is about Rs 2.9 million. The breeds being considered for acquisition include German Shepherds, Labradors, and Golden Retrievers.
A police constable trained in handling dogs is assigned to each canine. The dog is trained to obey only its designated handler's instructions from the age of 6 months.
The dog is taken out of its kennel in the morning for a bathroom break. Following this, it undergoes one hour of physical exercise. During training sessions, the dog is tasked with locating hidden drugs and weapons on a daily basis.
The dog receives a 30-minute massage session daily. Breakfast is served around 10 am. Following a resting period in the kennel until noon, training sessions resume until 2 o'clock in the afternoon. At 4 o'clock, the dogs are taken out of their kennels, undergo exercise, and attend to their bathroom needs in the evening before being returned to their kennel.
