When Gavel the dog was born last year, the police in Queensland, Australia had high hopes for his potential as a crime-fighting pup. But as he grew, authorities decided Gavel was much too friendly to be a police dog. He has since been cut from the training course and given a new role as Vice Regal Dog in the governor’s residence.
In a 2016 news release introducing Gavel to the world, the dog was described as coming “from a long line of pedigree.”
The news release read: “If the family bloodline is anything to go by, in 16 months Gavel will be tracking and catching criminals as a proud member of the Queensland Dog Squad!”
Gavel was presented to the Governor of Queensland, the Honourable Paul de Jersey, and was fostered under his care at Government House while undergoing a training and socialization program.
Fast forward 10 months and Gavel was deemed to be too social to be a police dog.
“Gavel did not display the necessary aptitude for a life on the front line, and will instead spend his working days at Fernberg, where he has become a valued and much-loved part of Government House life,” read a news release from the governor.
The governor wrote that since joining their home last year, Gavel has brought “untold joy to the lives of the Governor, Mrs. de Jersey, Government House staff, and the thousands of Queenslanders who have since visited the estate.”
As the Vice Regal Dog, Gavel is responsible for greeting guests, welcoming tour groups, and attending functions and formal ceremonies, resplendent in a custom-made Government House coat.