"They are Cops": SAPS K9 Unit Dogs Get Salaries? Officers Explain How It Actually Works

• A viral TikTok sparked debate after SAPS officers said police dogs receive salaries
• Lt. Col. Jaco Roux and Col. Mofokeng explained that K9 dogs are classified as state assets, not salary earners
• South Africans flooded the comments with questions about where the money goes and who actually benefits

A TikTok clip from the Potter's Voice Podcast had South Africans doing a double take after two senior police officers appeared to confirm that SAPS K9 dogs earn a salary. The episode, posted on 17 October 2026, featured Lt. Col. Jaco Roux and Col. Mofokeng in a studio discussion about career opportunities within the South African Police Service.

The conversation turned to the K9 and mounted units, during which one of the officers mentioned that dogs have personal numbers and are treated as official resources. The podcast guests laughed and explained that the dogs are a part of the organisation, complete with salaries, medals for bravery, and full state care. Someone in the room asked whether they could hand over their own dog for enlistment. The reality is slightly different from what the clip suggested.

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SAPS dogs are classified as state-owned service assets according to Mail & Guardian, meaning the government covers all their food, housing, medical care, and training. The "salary" attached to each animal is a budget allocation, not a cheque the dog cashes. It is the human handlers who draw a standard SAPS salary based on their rank, ranging from roughly R16,000 per month at constable level to over R36,000 for a warrant officer.

The officers also confirmed during the podcast that any SAPS member found mistreating a K9 or mounted unit animal would face charges, underlining how seriously the service treats its animal units. Watch the clip that started the conversation:

Mzansi reacts to the K9 salary debate

The video drew hundreds of responses, with viewers equally amused and curious:

@Pray Always 🙏 asked:

"So the salary goes to the dog handler?"

@DON007 said:

"Yes, those dogs are officers too 💀"

@Sphesihle🦅 wrote:

"This is educational 🙇🏾"

@user3310817701252 commented:

"Some of them enriched themselves with dogs' money"

@Jason suggested:

"Why not implement a program that takes stray dogs off the streets and puts them into K9 training or of the sort."

@fhatu_glenny kept it simple:

"Police dogs are cops."

Other Briefly News stories about South African Police Service (SAPS)

• A Facebook photo shared by Sanele Mthombeni showed an officer named Msiza from the dusty streets of Jukulyn proudly wearing his SAPS uniform beneath his academic graduation gown.
• Official SAPS recruitment data revealed how police earnings scale up, from a trainee's stipend to an entry-level constable package, and colonels' earnings.
• Content creator Boni (@liferesetwithboni) went viral on TikTok after sharing a verified payslip of a SAPS constable working at a police Client Service Centre who earns a gross monthly salary of more than R20 000.

Source: Briefly News