Met urged to ban police dogs after spate of injuries during riots

The Metropolitan Police force have been urged to ban the use of police dogs after a spate of injuries to the animals following the summer riots.

Animal activists say dogs should not be used in efforts to combat crime because they are ending up as collateral damage far too often.

Campaigners have decided enough is enough following injuries to canines on the frontline and say the use of animals must be 'phased out' and replaced with a more ethical alternative.

The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police has been encouraged to 'phase out the use of dogs' amid rising risks to their welfare and improvements in technology that can see their roles replaced, according to the Telegraph. 

Elisa Allen, vice-president of programmes at Peta, wrote in a letter to Sir Mark Rowley seen by The Telegraph: 'With more technology at our disposal than ever before, there's no need to continue to use dogs – or any animal – to maintain law and order.'

'Now is the time to make a change. Please, begin phasing out animals from police service.'

It is the first time the organisation has requested UK police forces reconsider the age-old practice of training and using dogs to assist them in their work.

The first formal police dogs began work in Britain in 1908 in Hull. 

Alsatians - also known as German shepherds - became the go-to police dog following the First World War where Brits noticed their power, intelligence and trainability.

The dogs would assist German soldiers in detecting enemy movements in the trenches from distances that aren't possible for a humans. They also aided wounded soldiers and carried supplies. 

There are now more than 2,500 dogs used by police in the UK, according to estimates, with the Met alone having about 400.

Dogs are used by a range of forces for a many different purposes including tracking suspects, riot control, bomb and drug detection, and search and rescue.

The Alsatian is still the most common general purpose police dog and some are also trained as specialist urban search and rescue dogs.

Spaniels and labradors, known for their temperament and sensitive noses, are the main choice for detection dogs.

Ms Allen said: 'Dogs in Britain's police forces never signed up to risk their lives but are being battered on the front lines of riots and left to bake to death in hot cars. 

'Peta is urging the Metropolitan Police to end the use of dogs and adopt modern methods of maintaining law and order that don't subject animals to a lifetime of violence.'

In the letter, she told Sir Mark that police forces have 'admirably protected the public from hateful, violent extremists' but warned these turbulent times highlight the risks to the police dogs.

Ms Allen added in her letter that dogs named Ike and Zoe - used by Merseyside Police - were hit with bricks thrown by a disruptive crowd. 

She said a third dog, Quga, was bitten, strangled and burned while on duty during the riots in July.

The Met Police has been approached for comment.