Part of the Republican National Convention security detail includes more than 30 police horses and their officers from around the state and from Texas. They are backing up Cleveland’s seven-member mounted unit. WKSU’s Kevin Niedermier reports on how this team of horses is being kept healthy during their long, hot patrols.
Veterinarian, Dr. Gary Goman, is with the National Veterinarian Response Team which helps take care of working animals at disaster sites and special security events like the RNC. He and other veterinarians are stationed at Cleveland’s mounted police stables where all the horses are being boarded.
“Two major things we’re looking out for are heat stress, getting out there making sure they’re drinking sufficient amounts of fluid. Then also watching their feet, working long hours on hard surfaces like this can be very difficult on them.
Have there been any issues so far?
Other than just tiredness everything has been going very well.”
Some of the horses are working 12-hour shifts downtown. Goman says he and the vets are also looking after an estimated 200 plus police dogs.
