K 1447: Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim September 1, 2026, as Police Dog Day in the State of New York

 Assembly Resolution No. 1447 BY: M. of A. Rules (Gandolfo) MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim September 1, 2026, as Police Dog Day in the State of New York WHEREAS, The quality and sanctity of community life are cherished values, worthy of safeguarding, and this Legislative Body is moved to honor those canines who serve to preserve and protect such values, lauding particularly their unwavering courage and dedication in the daily performance of their duties; and WHEREAS, It is appropriate to recognize and commend such outstanding police dog officers for their valued contributions to the community; and WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim September 1, 2026, as Police Dog Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of National Police Dog Day; and WHEREAS, Working dogs whose job it is to help law enforcement protect the public are among the most important canines in our society; and WHEREAS, Scientists are not sure if dogs were originally domesticated for their guarding abilities, it could have been their hunting skills instead, but whatever the reason, it did not take long for ancient humans to start relying on the dog's fierce instinct for protection; and WHEREAS, The ancient Romans were one of the first cultures to use dogs for security; a tour through the ruins of Pompeii, the ancient Roman city destroyed by a volcano in 79 AD, reveals evidence that guard dogs protected many of the homes in the city; and WHEREAS, During the Middle Ages, dogs were used for law enforcement in parts of Europe, mostly to hunt down criminals; bloodhounds were preferred in Scotland because of their superior ability to track by scent; and WHEREAS, In the late 1800s, dogs started to become known as valuable partners in police work; London police used Bloodhounds to search for Jack the Ripper in 1888, while other dogs accompanied British police on their beats; and WHEREAS, The first formal training of police dogs began in Belgium in 1899; he success of this program brought attention to the valuable help dogs could provide in security work; and WHEREAS, By 1910, the Germans had made police dogs a common site in cities throughout the country; they chose the German Shepherd as their breed of choice, and the first police dog training school was opened in 1920 in the Town of Grunheide; and WHEREAS, Dogs did not become part of police work in the United States until the 1970s; now, canine officers are common in police forces throughout the United States; they are also used by the United States military for patrol and detection work, and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for finding and apprehending criminals; and WHEREAS, Most police dogs live with their handlers, and are treated like family pets when they are off duty; they often form strong bonds with their handlers, and are considered important partners in maintaining law and order by police officials around the world; and WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is pleased to recognize the efforts of the valiant and brave police dogs who devoted themselves to public service, demonstrating great courage and diligence in providing for the care and welfare of the citizens of their communities and this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim September 1, 2026, as Police Dog Day in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New York.