People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) wants the Park City Police Department to retire its bomb-sniffing K-9 Bruno.
PETA’s Allison Fandl sent the request to Chief Wade Carpenter a day after the department released video of Bruno getting injured. The dog was investigating a suspicious item Sept. 15 at the U.S. Highway 40 and Interstate 80 interchange. He then suddenly changed course and leapt off the road, breaking two legs and his jaw.
The video had over 13,000 views as of Friday and gained international attention. PETA says Park City police should reassess the use of dogs.
“Ongoing improvements and innovations in technology provide exciting opportunities to phase out the use of K-9s with equipment such as tactical robots, drones, or portable mass spectrometers, which enhance safety and operational efficiency without risking anyone’s life.”
Retired New York City Police Department K-9 commander John Pappas said dogs can be deployed with drones, but a machine can’t replace the animal’s nose.
He said he’s seen a company try and fail to replicate what K-9s can do during a warehouse test.
“We brought in a Labrador and we brought in a German Shepherd, and the dogs found where the explosives were in under two minutes,” Pappas said. “The machine never found it.”
He said K-9s also do more than find narcotics, explosives and missing people: they build community.
PETA’s letter asking Park City to consider ending its use of K-9s isn’t its first. As part of the organization’s years-long mission to end animal cruelty in many industries, similar appeals have been made to police agencies across the country after incidents when dogs were harmed.
However, Pappas said K-9 police work is not cruel. The dogs are part of their handlers' family and are well loved.
“Some of these animals live to work; they love it,” he said. “When I start to put my dog into a search, she gets so excited because it's fun. And at the end of the fun training session, we're going to play.”
Park City police say Bruno is still recovering at home following emergency surgery. It’s unclear if he will return to work.
Pappas said injured K-9s join their handlers again when they are cleared medically. They typically undergo an assessment to see if they can still follow commands.
“The dog has to want to work, and if it doesn't want to work, you're not going to make it work,” he said.
Park City police refused KPCW’s request for comment.
