Kerries in Police Work

Someone asked if Kerries are used in police work? The following responses were posted on the KerryBlues-L Newslist.

Sue Ann Bailey wrote that Kerries and Airedales were used in police work in the UK, especially Ireland in the 1920s and '30s.

Helen Eiden wrote that Kerries were used for police work and messengers behind enemy lines.

In World War II, the English used Kerries not only to carry messages behind the lines but to guard prisoners of war. Their intelligence and thinking on their feet is what made a hit. They used the dark blue ones so they couldn't been seen at night.

As far as police work I heard of one in Pennsylvania in 1953. But that was the only one I knew of. The Kerry belonged to a Sheriff and he went on patrol with him and saved him a few times with the bad guys.

Tiina Paukku reports from Finland that the late Mr. Verner Parkild (husband of Mrs. Aase Parkild, owner of the Fuglegaarden kennels in Denmark) had Kerries in police work. While working as a police officer in the 30's in Shanghai in China, Mr. Parkild had a Kerry Blue who was helping him in the police work even if it was not specially trained for police work. This dog followed him everywhere, also during the working hours, and helped him to arrest people.

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