It is not uncommon to read reports in the UK's national press of dog owners,
along with other bystanders, losing their lives whilst trying to save some
pooch or other pet after it has got into some difficulty; usually at sea
or in some fast flowing river.However, not all British subjects share the same respect for our canine friends,
as shown by a recent court case at Chelmsford, Essex ...
In the same month the police admitted that they suffer from
institutionalised racism, Essex's Police Dog
Training Unit were appearing in court charged with cruelty to animals; in this
case relating to the death of a police dog during training.
Apparently, Essex Police believe that the best way to command respect and
obedience from a police dog is to hang it over a fence and get the dog's
handler to give it a good kicking.
B-----ds.
Of course, if the dog happens to die in the process, the first thing to do
is to implement a cover-up and claim the dog died of some natural causes or by
some other means.
Thankfully there are some people in this country, even in the police force, who
are indeed outraged by this kind of behaviour and Essex Police found
themselves in court facing a number of criminal charges as a consequence - and
quite rightly so.
Initially the case attracted little media attention outside of the south east
of England however as the catalogue of cruelty, that emerged in evidence in this
case, increased beyond belief the media did finally start to take notice.
It was alleged that dogs have been trained using electric and spiked
collars, have had stones fired at them from catapults and were beaten with
sticks.
Two officers, Sergeant Andrew White and PC Kenneth Boorman have been found
guilty of 13 breaches of the Protection of Animals Act and are on bail pending
their appeals against four month prison sentences. PC Stephen Hopkins has been
sentenced to 200 hours of Community Service for one breach of the Act.
Inspector Graham Curtis, head of the Essex Dog Unit, has also been suspended
pending a decision on whether or not action should be taken against him for
alleged neglect of duty.
The police may object to being referred to as The Filth, however, there
are obviously some members in the ranks who are crying out for this appellation.
Perhaps those people who still believe that all police officers are
sweetness and light will now see that this is not always the case and
perhaps they will slowly start to realise that, if they can treat dumb
animals so badly, those who have claimed to have been abused and assaulted
by the police may have a point after all ?
The Home Secretary, Jack Straw, is now reviewing the Police Dog Training
Manual. Why ? I'm sure it says nothing in there that encourages police
brutality to our canine friends. Perhaps he's thinking of adding such a
clause so the embarassment caused in this case can be avoided in the
future ?
In an unrelated case; Sergeant Paul Hemmings has been suspended from duty
for alleged mistreatment of horses and also faces accusations of theft and
sexual harrassment of a Woman Police Constable.
One of the strangest conundrums regarding the British people is their attitude
to animals.
They are happy to sacrifice their lives to save a pet in distress, fire brigades
are happy to spend hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds in the process of
rescuing something fluffy that has got stuck in a drain pipe and many
will not think twice about taking an injured sparrow to a vet to preserve its
life. Hundreds of people become involved in rescue attempts to save beached
whales.
On one hand they are appalled by seal culling yet they turn a blind eye to
fox hunting.
They complain about pacific rim countries eating puppies but quietly accept,
and do nothing about, vivisection and animal experimentation.
They object to the treatment of monkeys held in captivity but don't blink twice
at the mention of battery farming.
The British have a very strange view of animal rights, and I can't explain it;
the adjective, hypocritical, might be a good word to
start with.
