Another kind of community policing

Strathclyde Police in Scotland is donating a puppy to help sniff out cancer and other medical conditions. Copper, a nine week old cocker spaniel, will be gifted to Cancer and Bio-detection Dogs, which trains dogs to detect the scent of cancer from urine samples. They can also be trained to help people with diabetes by picking up the odour of changes in insulin levels before alerting owners to potential hypoglycaemic attacks.

Copper was born as part of the Force’s puppy breeding programme and will begin her new life with the Buckinghamshire-based charity today, Thursday June 25, 2009. She is one of a litter of seven playful and inquisitive pups from top canine cop Izzy. All are playful and inquisitive, and while her six brothers and sisters will be placed with puppy walkers until they begin training at 12 months, Copper will train as a bio-detection dog. Awesome!