Winnipeg police pups get new home
Winnipeg's police pups have some doggone nice digs to call home, after enduring a temporary set up in a parking lot for the past three years.
The new 4,500-square-foot, high-security canine unit facility is located at 77 Durand Rd., adjacent to the East District police station.
In addition to 11 air-conditioned indoor kennels and attached dog runs, the $1.25-million building features a large community classroom and common area for public demonstrations and office space for the officers in the unit.
It also features a birthing kennel and indoor puppy run that will serve the police service's in-house breeding program — one of the only programs of its kind in Canada — which began in 1999.
"The Winnipeg Police Service’s canine unit attends over 7,000 calls for service annually and does a tremendous job of helping to keep our citizens safe," said Mayor Sam Katz.
"We are thrilled to finally have a permanent and much-deserved facility to serve as home base for this hard-working, specialized unit."
The canine unit has 12 teams, including narcotic-detector dogs, explosive-detector dogs, tactical support dogs and several dogs cross-trained in multiple disciplines.
The unit consists of 12 officers and 23 Belgian Shepherd service dogs and makes more than 350 arrests each year, according to the City of Winnipeg.