Michigan man arrested for barking at police dog...and other tales

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A man was arrested in Michigan on Monday for barking and shouting at a police dog inside a patrol car, causing the dog to become agitated and aggressive.

According to the authorities, police were responding to a call at an apartment complex when a 26-year-old man approached their patrol car and ‘began to torment’ their police dog. The barking man was arrested for disorderly conduct and later released on bond, the Associated Press reported.

It’s easy to forget the contributions that police dogs provide for their handlers, but police across the pond in Cambridgeshire, UK, have devised a plan to ensure that their police dogs are taken care of. Starting later this year, police dogs will begin receiving pensions to cover their care once they retire. How’s that for socialist health insurance?

In the past, retired British police dogs were taken care of by their handlers or given up for adoption. But members of the force wanted to find a way to recognize the public service that the dogs had provided.

‘They serve us for seven or eight years as good police dogs and often only have two years retirement to enjoy, so it’s only right to provide for them during this time,’ dog unit sergeant Steve Krawczy told the Daily Mail. ‘So we put together a package for the dogs. It covers the retired dog’s food, vaccinations and worming, vet bills, as well as complementary therapy.’

Unfortunately, not all police dogs have such a comfortable retirement to look forward to. A police officer in Thibodaux, Georgia, is trying to convince the town to allow him to adopt his dog, Cee, who will retire by the end of the year. Normally, Cee would be sent to Lafourche jail to live out his golden years, but Sgt. Eddie Rodrigue III, who has worked with Cee for nearly 10 years, doesn’t want to see his dog end up in prison.

The City Council will vote Tuesday to decide whether to allow Rodrigue to buy the dog for $1.

--Brendan Bigelow

Video above of ‘the world’s worst police dog’ via YouTube