After 90 years of existence, the Jügesheim chapter of the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (SV) e.V. was dissolved and deregistered last year according to a members' decision. This was preceded by a far-sighted amendment to the club's articles of association with the aim of donating the club's premises and assets to the town of Rodgau. After years of great popularity and lively activity, the chapter of training shepherd dogs in Jügesheim was now closed. At its peak, the club consisted of over 100 members and around 25 active sportsmen and women from all over Germany. After the dog school closed in May 2018, the club suffered further setbacks due to the severe storm in 2019 and the subsequent coronavirus pandemic. The storm not only destroyed the popular outdoor seating area due to fallen trees, but also the site lighting and fences. After a temporary closure and great efforts, the site was restored, but interest in training sheepdogs waned over time. There is now good news for the continued use of the site. From 1 August, the South-East Hesse Police Headquarters will now lease the former club grounds for the training of the service dog squadron. This means that the original purpose of the site will be continued. For the service dog squadron, which is centrally located at the headquarters on Offenbach's Spessartring, this will result above all in short distances. A large dog training area in its own service district with a good infrastructure offers ideal conditions. Adequate facilities for theory (service lessons, seminars, meetings) and practice (dog park, storage areas, equipment for practising scenarios) ensure excellent training and further training for the four-legged friends and their uniformed "masters" and "mistresses". The site, which is located away from residential areas, also has sufficient parking spaces and a directly adjacent exercise area, so that potential noise pollution during training and tests is minimised as far as possible. Compromises, such as taking other users of the site into account, will also no longer have to be made in future. "The dog handlers are very happy about the new location and we will also take over the maintenance of the site ourselves," says Police Chief Superintendent Barbara Pietzner, who heads the service dog squadron. She adds: "The lease agreement not only creates long-term planning security for the dog unit at the South-East Hesse Police Headquarters, it is also a clear sign that the Hesse Police are investing in service dogs as a means of deployment out of conviction and trust." Chief Police Director Claudia Rogalski is also delighted: "We are very pleased that we have found an ideal location for the education and training of our service dogs with the long-term lease of the site. We are therefore very grateful to the city of Rodgau for the cooperation and the fact that we have exclusive use of such a coveted site."
