ANANTAPUR: Air coolers, coconut water, glucose and wet cloths have become essential things to protect the sniffer and tracker dogs of police department from scorching sun. As mercury levels spiral up, the trained dogs are finding it difficult to stay cool. Each district in the state has a minimum of six sniffer and tracker dogs which are being used in bomb squads and also to crack murder cases and robberies.
Tirupati has more than 12 dogs to ensure protection to large number of VIPs who arrive for darshan at Tirumala shrine. Here, armed reserve wing is maintaining the dog squad. The forest department is also keeping sniffer dogs to curb the smuggling of red sanders, sandal wood and other forest produces. Normally, dogs can easily withstand temperatures up to 35 degree Celsius. But, currently temperature is hovering around 45 degrees in several parts of the state and places like Srisailam and Kondapuram have recorded more than 48 degree Celsius.
“We are taking all precautionary measures to protect the dogs from rising temperatures,” armed reserve DSP Chinni Krishna told DC. There are six dogs with the AR wing and they are lodged at separate quarters at police parade grounds in Anantapur. Each dog is allotted air cooler to avoid ill health and the premises are being sprinkled with water everyday. The dogs are given coconut water and glucose while being taken for duties. The canines are covered with wet cloths to protect them from scorching sun during the duty hours, said Mr Veeresh, AR sub inspector.
