Illinois Dog Handlers threaten to Euthanize Service dogs if they Legalize marijuana

The authorities of Illinois are considering the possibility of legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes, with 66 percent of the population supporting this idea. But opponents of legalization say that service dogs in this case will have to be euthanized, because it will be unprofitable to keep them.

Source: The Pantagraph

The authorities decriminalized possession of a small amount of marijuana back in 2016. If a person finds up to 10 grams of the drug, they will have to pay a fine of $ 100 to $ 200. Although earlier for such a crime it was possible to go to prison and pay a much larger sum. Now the authorities are discussing the issue of legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes.

Illinois law enforcement officials are worried that if marijuana is legalized, sniffer dogs will lose their jobs. The police spend thousands of dollars and a lot of time to train dogs to look for drugs. Depending on the breed, training of one dog can take from 8 to 16 weeks, and the cost will vary from 3 to 5 thousand dollars. If marijuana is legalized, then the dogs will either have to be retrained, or retired, or even put to sleep.

In the states where marijuana has already been legalized, different approaches have been used to solve the problem of the K-9 unit. The dogs were retrained to ignore the smell of cannabis, and the "recruits" were already trained for other drugs. But Chad Lerner, the director of training at the K-9 training Academy in Macon County, Illinois, rejected the idea of retraining dogs because it could affect the psyche of animals. In addition, there is no guarantee that the bloodhounds will forget their original skills.

Chad Lerner said that some of the dogs in case of legalization will have to be euthanized. The statement caused a violent reaction. Lerner was accused of being afraid of losing funding for his unit. Decatur City Police Chief James Getz had to explain himself for his words.

Later, dog handlers also refuted the claim that service dogs would have to be euthanized. Even if the bloodhound cannot be retrained, it will find use in other areas. Dogs are trained not only to search for drugs, but also to search for suspects, evidence and are trained to help in the arrest of criminals. In addition, there are service dogs that help search for missing people and explosives. On average, bloodhounds work in the police for 6-8 years, and then "hand over badges" and go on a well-deserved retirement.