'Boisterous' rescue pup will help police fight crime

An abandoned puppy who said to be too “boisterous” to be a family pet has been rescued by police.

Seventeen-month-old Rolo has already had two failed rehoming attempts after struggling to adapt to a life relaxing on the sofa.

It was feared Rolo may never find a new family but now things are looking up. Credit: ITV Tyne Tees

The Springador pup has spent recent weeks in the care of the staff at the Newcastle Dog and Cat Shelter, who feared he may never find a new family.

They were concerned that he would be too boisterous for a family setting and required a lot of mental stimulation.

Staff decided to call the Dog Section at Northumbria Police – to see if he would be suited to a career in uniform.

Seeing the potential in Rolo, the Force seized the opportunity and Rolo was this week introduced to his handler PC Dave Robinson.

The pup will now be living with the officer and his family as he learns the basics of the job on the specialist puppy programme.

PC Robinson said: “Rolo possesses great attributes of a working dog, his high energy levels and the way he thrives off mental stimulation is great to see in our police dog recruits.

“When he gets used to being around crowds and knows his basic commands then we will start him on the initial detection course where he will learn to detect drugs, cash and weapons.

“We are just glad we have been able to give him a loving home and we would encourage anyone looking for a new pet to consider visiting your local animal shelter first.”

Animal Welfare Manager at Newcastle Dog and Cat Shelter, Anjuli Hakin said: “Both homes that Rolo was trialled in had to return him to us with almost identical stories of him being unable to relax in a home environment.

“Once he came back to our rehoming centre and his behaviour in foster care was discussed, it became apparent to the staff very quickly that Rolo wasn’t cut out to be a pet.

“Rolo needed more out of life. His love and drive for toys and food, alongside his desire to keep active, it was obvious he needed a bigger role in the world - and so we reached out to Northumbria Police and his future is looking very bright.”

Good luck, Rolo!