RGV Border Patrol Union says agent kneeing K-9 at checkpoint not animal abuse

The Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol Union on Thursday issued a statement saying that the agent caught on camera at the Falfurrias checkpoint kneeing a K-9 was not abusing the dog.

Rather, the union said, the agent was enacting training to be the “alpha” over the K-9 to correct a myriad of issues, including disobedience.

The incident happened on Wednesday when a commuter filmed a Border Patrol agent kneeing a K-9. Later that day, Gloria I. Chavez, chief patrol agent for the Rio Grande Valley Sector, confirmed in a statement that an investigation is underway while thanking the public for bringing the incident to light.

The union, however, said the incident doesn’t tell the whole story.

“The incident in question involves a canine handler correcting the behavior of her canine partner; however, as is oftentimes the case in ‘viral’ videos, only one side of the story is put out,” the statement reads. “The video shows the agent utilizing proper corrective techniques as she was trained to do by the Border Patrol’s own canine handler instructors.”

The agent is a certified handler who is a graduate of Border Patrol’s canine academy, which is “a rigorous course in which prospective handlers are trained on how to ensure that they are the ‘alpha’ over the canine, which includes immediate corrections for a myriad of issues, to include disobedience.”

“Canine handlers are also taught to make an attempt at employing corrective actions outside of the view of the traveling public, because most members of the public view canines not as working dogs, but as pets,” the statement reads.

It goes on to say that from the onset of training, handlers are taught that their K-9’s are not pets.

“While there is never an excuse for abusing a pet or a canine partner, what is viewed in the video is not abuse, but rather corrective action,” the statement read.

The union said it is confident that after the investigation is complete the evidence will show the agent utilized her training and that there would be no policy violations.

“We look forward to a full and fair investigation void of personal emotion,” the union said.

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