LUBBOCK, Texas — Texas voters approved Proposition 10 on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The proposition is an amendment to the Texas Constitution. The amendment allows for handlers and other qualified caretakers to adopt law enforcement animals such as dog and horses after they have retired.
Ninety-four percent of voters were in favor of this amendment.
Prior to the amendment, transferring a retiring animal to a handler was more difficult. Law enforcement animals were considered a surplus or salvage, so when an animal, such as a dog, was retired, the animal is considered a surplus. The county would have to auction off the dog, according to the Texas Constitution.
Corporal Brock Gruner is a handler for a Belgian Malinois named Yako. Yako is trained in narcotics and patrol.
“I do consider him a part of our family just because he is at our house all the time,” Gruner said.
Gruner believes being able to adopt retired police dogs is a good thing.
“I would hate to see that after spending so much time with them, and getting so comforatble being around him, and my family everybody else being comfortable around the dog–I would hate to see that dog just be taken away and have to be given to somebody else,” Gruner said.
The law applies to law enforcement animals such as horses and dogs, amongst others.
