RETIRED police dog, butter thief and fetch extraordinaire are some pretty impressive feats for the resume of Hart, the blind Belgian Malinois.
A true example of resilience, he did not let losing his vision – which forced him to leave the police service – prevent him from helping and inspiring others.
He is now the first animal to join the Blind Welfare Association and has taken up his rightful duty as its official spokesdog.
Hart, now seven, was born in Slovakia. He was brought to TT by the US Embassy in 2017, and began training to become a police dog at two. This was the result of a collaboration between the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement and the TT police.
[caption id="attachment_1046026" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Hart shares a smile at the School for Blind Children at Santa Cruz ahead of his induction into the Blind Welfare Association. - Narissa Fraser[/caption]
Hart specialised in finding illegal drugs, guns and ammunition, and was very good at his job – even when he started going blind.
His former handler, PC Sean Bailey, told Sunday Newsday Hart was always very loving and had a high working drive.
"He didn't want to stop unless you stopped him."
Hart remembers a special call Bailey had for him when they worked together, and still listens to commands like "Sit," and, "Down."
[caption id="attachment_1046027" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Students of the School for Blind Children pet Hart. - Narissa Fraser[/caption]
He began going blind in 2021, which vets concluded was because of an issue with his corneas, which was hereditary.
Typically, retired police dogs are adopted by their handlers. But, recognising he would need a lot of extra care, Bailey and Supt Geoffrey Hospedales, former superintendent of the Mounted and Canine Branch, opted to let Newsday columnist and prison-reform advocate Debbie Jacob adopt him.
"Hart has to get eye medication several times a day (and) it would have been impossible for a working canine officer to do that daily," Jacob said.
She has also done a lot of work with the police Canine Branch, as well as the NGO the Wishing for Wings Foundation largely invested in prison reform through education, of which she is the president.
[caption id="attachment_1046028" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Hart gets some love as his owner Debbie Jacob looks on at the School for Blind Children in Santa Cruz. - Narissa Fraser[/caption]
She said Hart has "a lot of attitude" and is the boss of the house. She added that he doesn't seem to realise he is retired, as his nose continues working 24/7.
An official induction ceremony for Hart was held at the School for Blind Children in Santa Cruz on Thursday morning.
Both Jacob and Bailey's words were proven true, as Hart was sniffing absolutely everything and everyone at the venue, almost as if he was doing a security sweep.
He also got a chance to play with his favourite ball, which he refused to let go whenever he caught or found it.
He now relies entirely on sound
