An inquiry has commenced into the group wedding for police dogs by Kandy Police Kennels, after the Minister of Culture had condemned the event and demanded an investigation from the Police Chief.
Inspector General of Police N.K. Ilangakoon has ordered the inquiry at the request of Culture and Arts Minister T.B. Ekananayake, who said the wedding undermined traditional wedding rituals and should be strongly condemned.
The police have already apologized for the wedding earlier this week in which nine pairs of police sniffer dogs dressed in shawls, hats and socks were placed on a decorated platform like those used in traditional Buddhist weddings.
Police have said the wedding was a humorous way to encourage the breeding of sniffer dogs, which are expensive to import.
The dog marriages were registered by an official in the presence of a crowd of veterinary surgeons, medical doctors, top police officers and the public at a ceremony Monday at Asgiriya Grounds in Kandy.
The ceremony received wide publicity, and strong criticism from cultural officials.
Police later apologized for any damage to the country’s cultural heritage, saying in a statement the goal was to save money by breeding dogs accustomed to local weather and food.
