This is the great story of the week. A young shepherd malinois, passed very close to euthanasia, was saved by the gendarmes of Rochefort, reported France Bleu Gironde.
Hermès’ life had started badly since he had been abandoned by his master near Bordeaux, and chained to the bottom of the garden. Placed in the pound, euthanasia had been considered because he had become hostile to men.
Rehabilitation at the shelter
“After being neglected, he was a bit aggressive, he wasn’t used to humans anymore. Those in charge saw it as dangerous behavior, for them euthanasia was the only solution”, explained Buno Zanatta, the president of the refuge. animal friends in Royan where the two-year-old dog was collected last October.
Work then followed to try to get the dog used to human presence again. “We started to re-educate him a little, we helped him regain confidence in people,” explained the head of the shelter. And little by little, their efforts began to bear fruit: the animal gradually lowered its guard and softened.
He even turned out to be full of surprises and with a very playful character. The kind of profile that the gendarmes of the canine teams are looking for… The soldiers then make him pass a series of tests before taking him with them to their training center in Gramat (Lot).
Seven years in the service of the gendarmes
“He has predispositions and he is intelligent”, analyzed Chief Warrant Officer Stéphane, commander of the dog investigation group (GIC) of Rochefort, delighted with his new recruit.
Hermès will now begin a training course as a dog handler from April 11 until mid-July where he will be trained in the search for narcotics. He should then join the ranks of the gendarmerie of Rochefort (Charente-Maritime) where he should embrace a career of seven years.