After beating cancer, Punjab Police’s Labrador Simi bounces back to sniff out narcotics

Just before she was diagnosed with cancer, she had helped in the recovery of drugs from a foreign national, recalled the officer.

The Labrador was sent to Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) in Ludhiana where she was treated for cancer and was completely cured of the disease in September 2022.

Two months later she came back to the narcotics cell in December, 2022 and it was a day of celebration for the Punjab Police.

Once she was back on duty, the staff had distributed sweets as they were overwhelmed by her recovery, said the Faridkot SSP.

“Simi is on no medication these days. She is active as before and is helping us in detecting narcotics. Her grit and determination are a source of inspiration for us as she is perfectly normal after battling cancer,” the SSP added.

Simi, though fully cured, gets special care from the staff. She consumes 500 grams of Pedigree on a daily basis and is not on any medication as of now, said SSP Harjit Singh.

However, Dr Navdeep Singh, head of the surgery department of GADVASU, said that mammary tumours can recur. “Hence, only regular check-ups of the dog can indicate if the animal needs further treatment or not. In case of any visible lump, the dog must be brought to the clinic as soon as possible. Otherwise, once cured of cancer, they do not need any more medication afterwards,” Dr Navdeep Singh, head of the surgery department of GADVASU, told The Indian Express.