How to Donate a Dog to the Police Department

Police officers take an oath to protect and serve their communities. Having a police dog can increase the officer's effectiveness, assist in arrests, deter crime and reduce risk. Most police departments do not have resources available to train police dogs. Dogs must be evaluated for mental, emotional and physical fitness; if they pass, the dog will undergo rigorous training to prepare them for duty. Police departments generally prefer financial donations that are ear-marked for a police dog, rather than an untrained dog.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Contact the police department's communications officer or community liaison. Ask if they need a specific breed or dog with specialized training (narcotics, bombs, or search and rescue), and if they require money to train a handler. The police department will tell you how much money is needed to acquire the dog.

2. Form a fund-raising committee. Include a member of the police department as well as any local celebrities. Designate a treasurer to handle the money; choose someone with previous fund-raising or banking experience.

3. Set up a fund-raising website. Set a deadline for acquiring the dog. Link to the police department's website. Explain why you are raising money for a police dog, give information about past and current police dogs (via a short video or slide show) and indicate where donations can be made.

4. Notify local media of your efforts. Include a local TV personality on the fund-raising committee to get free publicity and raise public awareness.

5. Hold fund-raising activities like car washes, bake-offs, sponsored walks and bike rides.

6. Present the police department with a check for the amount of the dog. Invite local media and anyone who donated money.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider raising additional money to buy the dog a bullet proof vest, and to cover the first year of food and veterinarian care.
• Never present a dog to a police department. Police departments acquire their police dogs from professionals who specialize in training police dogs.