Carrots, broccoli, eggs, meat, curd: Kolkata Police's dog squad's balanced diet

In a heartwarming display of care and dedication, the furry members of Kolkata Police's canine squad are treated to nutritious and carefully curated meals each day. These loyal canines, often tasked with crucial roles like explosive detection and challenging assignments, receive a well-balanced diet to keep them in optimal health. With 42 canines in the squad, each of them is allocated approximately 3 kg of vegetables every month, in addition to a variety of 13 other food items.

According to an official source, a monthly budget of around Rs 6,750 is allocated for the food expenses of each dog. To ensure the highest standard of nutrition, trained cooks diligently prepare their meals twice daily. The goal is simple yet vital – to provide the best possible sustenance to these invaluable members of the Kolkata Police force. An officer elaborated, "The idea is to provide balanced meals to the dog squad. A complete and balanced diet comprises appropriate proportions of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals."

Emphasizing the importance of nutrition, the annual contract for procuring raw food items for the dogs was initiated only after experts had meticulously designed their diet plan. The daily meals include a variety of components such as carrots, broccoli, eggs, meat, curd, and high-quality rice and pulses. The meat provided is boneless, while good-quality bones are offered separately. Although oil is not used in the cooking process, essential ingredients like good-quality garlic, salt, and turmeric are sourced every month.


Additionally, as per an officer's statement, "Dry commercial dog food with a minimum of 24% protein at 600 gm/day (as per the recommendation of the Department of Animal Nutrition, WBUAFS) is allowed."

(The article was originally published in TOI)