Fifty-five-year-old Officer Bai Yan has been a police K9 handler in the Hangzhou, Zhejiang province of China for over fifteen years.

Always an avid dog lover, Bai Yan was personally responsible for setting up for the first K9 unit in his local police department. Prior to this, K9s had never been used.

Bai assisted in selecting 25 K9 recruits who were used in a variety of duties including patrol, search, and the detection of illicit substances. Individually, these dogs participated in an average of 3,000+ missions during the course of their career and were considered heroes by countless members of the community.

In an interview with China Daily, Bai fondly recalled a moment on the job. “One time we tracked suspects with a dog on the highway. The suspects noticed us and sent three of their accomplices to attack us. But they didn’t know we had canines in the van,” Bai said. “The canines pounced on them and subdued them soon after I sent the order.”

Generally, K9s would have a career spanning 8-10 years, after which they can be placed with their unit, with a handler, or with a civilian through an official adoption process – and while this sounds reasonable in theory, there are definite issues in practice. “There are few handlers in our brigade, and their apartments are usually too small to shelter the big canine.”

“Only six dogs were adopted after retirement while others had no place to go.”

As Bai thought about how his K9 partners were spending the later days of their lives, he knew he had to help.

“They are my comrades who have worked with me and kept me company for more than 8 years,” he said. “They are my friends and family.”

“I want to give them a dignified retirement.”

Investing more than 1 million yuan ($150,000 USD) of his own money, Bai purchased a resort and turned it into a retirement home for retired police dogs.

The mountain resort is filled with all the amenities his furry friends could need, including kennels, assault courses, and dog-walking paths. “I get up at 4 am every morning and go to the canines’ home to say hello to them,” said Bai. “Then I check them and feed them. After that, we play games.”

“They are old now,” Bai added. “So every course or game we do is conducted much slower.”

“Nursing retired police dogs is different from taking care of seniors,” Bai told China Daily. “It is necessary to play with them in order to maintain their physical and mental health.”

Of course, not all dogs can live forever and some goodbyes are bittersweet.

In a corner of the retirement home sits a cemetery where 26 of Bai’s former comrades are buried in peace.

Currently, a 14-year-0ld dog named Sunny is the oldest resident of the home. When veterinarians advised Bai to euthanize Sunny due to skin cancer, the officer refused. Instead, Bai gave Sunny daily medicated baths for his skin until the illness was under control. Bai says that this experience helped him realize that retired dogs, much like humans, really require daily care.

“The police dogs need companionship, especially after retirement. They need you to play with them to make them feel safe,” Bai said in the interview with China Daily.

“Ten years with them is not a long period in my life, but to them, it is their whole lifetime.”

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Sources: BBC, China Daily