JSPCA PRESS RELEASE

August 2009

NEW CANINE RECRUITS FOR THE ARMY

Three dogs that have been at the JSPCA Animals' Shelter looking for new homes for the last 6 months without success have been recruited to the Army's Defence Animal Centre.

The Army have been running a recent campaign called "Your country needs your dogs" and have urgently requested that people consider a new life in the Army for young dogs that are healthy, out-going and energetic and who are either German Shepherds, Springer Spaniels or Cocker Spaniels.  These dogs will be trained to serve in the Army as, for example, sniffer or tracker dogs.  

Two Officers visited the JSPCA Animals' Shelter to assess three GSDs that had potential as Army recruits and all three of the dogs appeared to offer just what the Army required.  The Army Officers performed an initial assessment to determine whether the dogs were playful, inquisitive and responsive by playing games of 'tug of war' and 'fetch', which helps show how well the dogs could be trained to work efficiently and obediently and all three passed the assessment.

Unfortunately, it was proving very difficult to re-home the dogs to private homes in Jersey and this new life in the Army offers these three dogs a new opportunity.

ENDS