Police puppies make cute debut

Seven furry new members will be welcomed into the Winnipeg Police Service for a special role.

At 11 a.m. at the WPS Canine Unit Kennels, seven puppies will be welcomed by the service.

The WPS says all seven will be trained as police dogs for their service as well as other agencies. The WPS also breeds pets for police departments in Salt Lake City, Utah, Plymouth, Minnesota and others in western Canada.

The puppies were born on September 1 to Police Service Dog (PSD) Ellie through its in-house breeding program. The WPS says Ellie and the puppies are doing well. This is the first litter to be born in the program using artificial insemination.

Elli was inseminated using a former PSD, Judge's sample. The WPS says Judge's traits were highly sought after.

"During Judge’s 10-year career, he assisted in more than 500 arrests and sired over 45 puppies, six of which are currently working for the Winnipeg Police Service. Judge retired in 2014 and passed away in 2015," the WPS says in a statement.

Judge's sample was taken nine years ago.

"The process has allowed us to combine the highly sought-after traits of former PSD Judge and PSD Ellie to ensure the highest quality K9s are working alongside officers in the community's service."

Ellie was purchased from a Minnesota breeder in May of last year. The WPS says she is an excellent police service dog, which is why she was chosen to carry the litter. She was inseminated on July 3 by Dr. Erica Anseeuw and the team at the Stonewall Veterinary Hospital. Before the procedure, she was monitored to "pinpoint the crucial 12-hour window" that is required to make the implantation successful.

"We are very thankful to all involved who ensured this was a success."

The WPS says they are one of the only breeding programs run by a municipal service in Canada. Their program was established in 1999.