Finn, Cory and Sam to retire

Finn, Cory, and Sam -- three dogs of Dhaka Metropolitan Police's K-9 Team -- sniffed out danger, guarded crime scenes, and stood loyally beside their handlers for years.

Now, after a long stretch of service, the three are preparing for a quieter life -- not in kennels or behind barbed wire, but hopefully in warm homes with new families.

The DMP has announced that the three will be released from duty and offered to the public through an open auction on November 25 at its canine facilities in Mirpur-14 Police Lines.

All three dogs were born and trained in the United Kingdom before being inducted into the force's operational lineup in Dhaka. They worked for the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit's specialised K-9 unit.

Finn

Among them, Finn is a male Labrador, Cory a female Labrador, and Sam a male German Shepherd. All of them are eight years of age and have grown too old for the demanding tasks of explosive detection, search operations, or patrol duties. However, officials say they remain in "good health" and are "perfectly capable of living comfortably as companion animals".

"Dogs used in law enforcement generally have a fixed service span. As per procedure, we sought approval from the Police Headquarters to put them up for auction," said Nazmul Hasan, additional deputy commissioner of the CTTC's Bomb Disposal Unit. "K-9 unit hopes these animals will spend the rest of their lives in a safe and caring environment with animal lovers."

The auction is being conducted in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act, he added.

According to the tender notice, businessmen, auction bidders, contractors, and dog lovers have been invited to an open auction, which will begin at 12:00pm on November 25 and continue until all three dogs find new owners.

Sam

The rules are simple: interested buyers must deposit Tk 1,000 to participate. Successful bidders will pay the final price along with 10 percent income tax and 7.5 percent VAT.

Each dog will be auctioned separately. They can be inspected by contacting the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Action Group), DMP, and buyers must complete payment and collect their dogs within three days.

For more details, interested persons may dial 01320-046356.