Finally, a Dog Bite Story You Want to Hear About

March 8, 2001 Middlesbrough, UK

Bosco the dog has bitten 54 people.  Bosco the dog's owners have been sued many times over.  Bosco the dog's owners last month had to pay a victim £16,000.  Bosco the dog is known around town as "The Beast of the Borough."

Ok, you're asking, when does this get good?

What if I told you Bosco recently swept Cleveland County's annual awards in four categories?  You see, Bosco is a highly-trained and loyal police dog in the Cleveland police force.

For his outstanding abilities and service, the six-year-old Alsatian (German Shepherd) has been honored as top dog in the following categories: obedience, criminal chase and searching—thus making him the overall champion at the awards ceremony.

Bosco and his handler Pc Mark Robson beat out 18 other fine competitors, prompting the head of the force's dog section Inspector Ross Sibley to say, “For one dog and handler to sweep the board in this way is an unprecedented achievement.  Bosco and Pc Robson go about their business in a thoroughly professional manner.”

He added, “Dogs are often deployed in extremely tense and volatile situations. They must display bravery in apprehending on command criminals who may be armed, and they can do the job of several police officers in acting as a deterrent to would-be offenders and dispersing crowds.

“Bosco and Pc Robson reach the very high standards required of a police dog as laid down by the Home Office. Bosco can apprehend criminals, but can also mix quite safely with children, for example, during school visits.”

Even so, 36 of Bosco's 54 arrests have sued the force for assault, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution.

Inspector Sibley responds, “We deploy dogs on about 7,000 occasions a year and in only 5 per cent of those occasions is it necessary for the dog to bite. Bosco is a highly trained dog and would not be deployed if we were not 100 per cent confident in his ability and that of his handler.”

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