Submitted by: Ron Brooks
Submitting Department: Police Department
Agenda Section: Consent
Item Title:
title
Acceptance of Donation of Bloodhound for HCPD
end
Suggested Action:
recommendation
I move that the Mayor and Council accept the donation of a Bloodhound breed puppy from Bluegrass Bloodhounds in Kentucky to assist the Police Department with tracking missing persons and vulnerable adults. The donation of this specialized tracking breed includes all required registration documents that identifies the breeds authenticity.
end
Summary Background:
The Hyattsville City Police Department (HCPD) submitted a request through Bluegrass Bloodhounds in Kentucky for a Bloodhound breed to assist with tracking missing persons and vulnerable adults. There are very few Bloodhounds in the Maryland area, but the HCPD was recently informed that their application was accepted and there is a puppy available. The Bloodhound breed has a non-aggressive nature and keen scent-tracking abilities making this the best breed for tracking missing individuals. The City currently has three (3) assisted living facilities that serve the elderly and disabled. In addition, over the past four years, the HCPD recorded approximately ninety (90) missing children and adults. Twenty (20) of those were considered critical as they had reported developmental disabilities.
There is no cost for the Bloodhound but there is a one-time fee of $2800 for the kennel and associated equipment. The annual cost for food, veterinarian oversight, and handler overtime will average approximately $12,000. Hyattsville will be one of the only communities in the County with a Bloodhound and will make the canine available to assist county-wide as we do with our current K-9s and Facility Dog, Nola.
Next Steps:
Acceptance of the Bloodhound puppy and registration documents that identifies the breed's authenticity.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no cost for the purchase of the Bloodhound puppy. The financial breakdown follows...
Click here for full text