Police Association of NSW (PANSW) President Kevin Morton knows exactly what his 17,000 serving, and 6000 retired members have endured each day as first responders, and as such he knows his organisation must prioritise their mental health.
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Morton admits the PANSW's latest ground-breaking new welfare partnership with Greyhound Racing NSW and Greyhounds Australasia is "out of the box" but he also knows the benefit for his 23,000 members.
PANSW members will be given immediate priority access to be matched and adopt greyhounds as pet companion animals.
"I want to try everything I possibly can for our members to ensure that they have long and healthy lives, not only in the police force but when they retire as well," Mr Morton said. "Nothing is better than coming home after a hard day on the frontline or in the truck or after heavy night work, than being greeted by a four-legged friend, and we want that to be a greyhound."
The scheme was the brainchild of Greyhounds Australasia Chairman and former police officer, Robert Vellar, who perfectly described the partnership as the marriage of human welfare and animal welfare.
Megan Parker could easily be the poster child for the program. A former police officer, she medically retired a decade ago, and suffered with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
She tried various avenues to help her situation including counselling and psychiatrists, but nothing worked.
"I had all the symptoms of PTSD and anxiety and all sorts of things," Megan explained. "My daughter had wanted to adopt a greyhound and we weren't really for it, but without us knowing, she put in the application. We got Frank, and he has changed my life. He's done more for me than any therapy or anything. He's fantastic.
"We adopted Frank about 14 months ago and he's changed our family's life too. My husband is an inspector at Redfern, and after long, hard days he comes home and takes Frank for a walk every night and it's helping him as well.
"Frank made me laugh for the first time in a long time. I think that was one of the main things you know, he's there for me and he's there with me all day. He's just like a gentle giant.
"My kids love him, he's a great family pet, he's great to have around and is great with my little dog and the rest of the family. Everyone I meet now I say: 'You should get a greyhound'."
In just 24 hours after the announcement of the partnership, GRNSW's Greyhounds As Pets received more than a dozen applications from PANSW members to adopt a greyhound.
GRNSW Chief Executive Officer Robert Macaulay said he was committed to providing "perfect pet" greyhounds to current and former police as part of the partnership.
"To have the opportunity to build a relationship and assist the much-respected men and women of our police force here in NSW is incredibly satisfying. We will move heaven and earth to look after them," he said.
GRNSW will pay for all retired greyhounds to be desexed, fully vaccinated and undergo pre-adoption dental treatment in line with its Homing Assistance Scheme. GRNSW will also supply six months of pet insurance as well as six months of Ivory Coat brand food supplied by the Real Pet Food Company.
This article was produced as part of an ACM partnership with Greyhound Racing NSW.
