A video of a police dog retiring after eight years of service is gaining traction on social media. Dogs are recognised for their loyalty, and are very useful when it comes to sniffing out a criminal. This is why they are trained to further enhance their sense of smell.
The video was shared by a page 'Dog' on Instagram on May 14, with the caption: "Thank you for your service Rio." It has credited the Instagram account of the Georgia Police K9 Foundation.
A police officer making the announcement about Rio also thanks the dog for ensuring its handler's safety in every mission. The officer then adds that the dog "can now take a well-deserved rest".
The video has received over 8.2 Lakhs views and more than one lakh likes on Instagram. Users have left heartfelt comments too.
“His little shaved arm. He must have had a recent vet visit that put him into retirement. Then again, 8 years of service is a long time. Sweet boy, I hope he finds a nice family with some little kiddos to sneak him table scraps and hug him every day,” a user commented predicting that he must be dealing with some medical problems that led to his retire.
“Thank you so much for your service! You're the best good boy,” a second user wrote on the post.
“Congratulations K9 Rio!! You're a very Good Boy, enjoy retirement,” a third user commented.
Dogs have served humans in a variety of capacities. Some of them are bred for herding livestock in addition to their role as companion animals, search and rescue dogs and detection dogs. These K9 squads are trained to identify illicit narcotics or chemical weapons.
Last year, in a novel initiative, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) decided to utilise the services of its retired combat canines as "therapy dogs" to help in the early recuperation of personnel undergoing medical treatment and also for their specially-abled children.
Dogs, at present, who retire from these central forces, are usually handed over to animal non-profit groups or kept at a retirement home within the organisation for post-retirement care.
