K9 Services/Dog breeding The functions of Canine Services are of paramount importance as service animals are utilized as force multipliers to strengthen our Guarding personnel and Reaction Unit capability to deflect potential perpetrators of crime, secure assets in emergency situations, control crowds and detain criminals should the need arise. Service animals are trained in-house to exacting Client requirements ensuring maximum utilization of the combination of handler and dog and creating an operational “team”. All service animals are trained to react to aggression and are therefore target specific. Continuous re-training ensures that prescribed standards are met and maintained. Odyssey Security ensures that employed Veterinary Nurses treat all our service animals and through contracted Veterinary Doctors in all centers where our dogs are kenneled maintains the good health of the entire service animal complement. Odyssey Security service animals are recorded and licensed in terms of the requirements of the performing Animals Act of 1935. When a service animal is ready for retirement, we ensure that approved family homes are found and the animal transferred to them. We raise our own potential Law enforcement dogs, we have through time and practical experience created our own view of what we see and find to be a very unique way of raising a working dog in a kennel environment. 
Custom made K9 Training Equipment
• Use of K9 force multipliers as minimum force
• Have own in-house veterinarian staff with Diploma Vet National qualification
• 100% compliant with animal statute
• Compliant with the Performing Animals Protection Act
• Compliant with the Performing Animals Act
• Legislative Licenses in place at all branches
• Company owned K9 housing facilities
• No service animals kenneled externally e.g. S.P.C.A Kennels
• All German Shepherd Dogs are registered
• 134 German Shepherd service animals
• Top Quality Royal Canine Feed – No Inferior Supermarket Brands are utilized
• National Vice Breed Supervisor of the GSDF – Full time employee
• National Vice Training Supervisor of the GSDF – Full time employee
• National Working Dog Judge – Full time employee
We ensure the wellbeing of our service animals by currently implementing the following:
• We only utilize registered dogs with the German Shepherd Dog Federation (GSDF).
• A fully functional Veterinary clinic is utilized on a daily bases to ensure the overall wellbeing of our service animals.
• A registered Veterinary nurse foresees the general hygiene of all service animals on a daily basis and operates on a 24-hour standby base.
• We have specific contracted Veterinary Doctors in all centers where our dogs are kenneled.
• A-Grade veterinarian approved nutritional diet is implemented which include Royal Canine feed.
• Entire component of service animals are certified with A - Grade hip grading.
• All kennels are approved and inspected on a yearly basis by the S. P. C. A and Animal Anti Cruelty League.
• Our kennel facilities are utilized as training facilities for new A. A. C. L Inspectors.
• Our Training and K9 Services personnel have reputable track records and are considered experts in the field of Dogs.
• Our kennels, kennel management programs and processes have been scrutinized and approved by the S. P. C. A, A. A. C. L and S. A. M. U.
• We work on a one dog and one handler principle.
• Service animals are only deployed in environmentally friendly environments.
• All our service animals are returned to our kennels on a daily basis.
• All K9 carrying vehicles have been specifically modified for that purpose with the comfort of the K9 being priority.
• All our K9’s are recorded and licensed in terms of the requirements of the performing Animals Act of 1935; and
• All our retired animals are retired to approved family homes.
• We have our own breeding program to sustain our need for working dogs.
Service Animal Safety
Odyssey Security service animals are considered as one of our greatest assets. All necessary safety measures are taken in transporting our dogs safely from branches to service sites. The following measures are taken with the safety of personnel and service animal in mind:
• All vehicles are inspected and any faults reported directly to the Fleet co-ordinator daily by Shift Commanders;
• All trailers are inspected and any faults reported directly to the Fleet co-ordinator daily by Shift Commanders;
• Odyssey employs a skilled Mechanic on a 24 Hour standby base;
• A Fleet co-ordinator ensures all fleet vehicles are faultless, safe and in good operating order;
• Vehicles are monitored 24 hours by a reputable tracking service provider to ensure all road regulations are abided by;
• All vehicles are branded with our national contact number, Head – Office contact numbers and warning signs to enlighten the public there are canines aboard.
• These vehicles are also well illuminated to make them visible to other road users at night.
• All vehicle kennels are custom fitted with the comfort of the service animal being priority;
Training of Service Animals and Handlers
• Service animals are utilized to supplement Static Security Officers and Reaction Units capability to deflect potential perpetrators of crime, secure assets in emergency situations and also assist with crowd management.
• Service animals are trained in house to exacting Client requirements ensuring maximum utilisation of the combination of dog and handler and creating an operational “team”.
• All service animals are trained to react to aggression and therefore they are target specific.
• Continuous re-training of service animals is considered priority thus ensuring that prescribed standards are met.
• Training and development of personnel is such that career planning and international articulation of qualifications is a reality. In order to achieve this, all training is benchmarked against the South African Qualification Authority (SAQA) standards and accreditation, and our quality management is in line with international trends.
• Training is outcomes based which implies that the final analysis is based upon an ability by the learner to demonstrate applied competence of a given task and or skill. All our service animals and handlers are trained against the South African Qualification Authority Unit Standards.
