New boots for dogs in blue

Pari the police dog goes on the same jobs as the armed offenders squad, and now has shoes to match.

The 51⁄2-year-old german shepherd is New Plymouth’s only armed offenders squad dog, and has been given ‘‘Ruffwear’’ shoes to protect his feet while he is working.

Pari’s handler, Cam Davies, said the booties, which have Vibram soles like police officers’ boots, were only worn when the canines were tracking in places where there might be hazards on the ground. ‘‘They’re purely for safety,’’ Davies said. ‘‘I’m generalising, but the properties we go through are pretty scody. There’s drug paraphernalia, sharps, needles, wire.’’

Davies said he had heard of incidents where police dogs couldn’t be deployed because there was smashed glass on the ground. ‘‘Their paws would get cut to bits.’’

Davies said the dogs were valuable members of the police force so their safety was paramount. ‘‘A shepherd’s senses are 40 times more sensitive than ours. They’re worth two cops in a car.’’

It’s only been in the past decade that the police’s canine colleagues have started wearing protective gear – including stab-proof vests. ‘‘It’s similar to what we use.’’ Davies said that New Plymouth had only two pairs of boots at the moment, but soon they’d be rolled out nationally and most likely be required to be worn fulltime like the vests.