The Home Office has spent nearly £1,000 of taxpayers' money sending Border Force officials on Swedish dog massage courses, damning new official records show.
The training, which took place in September last year, was designed to teach staff how to give dogs "a full body 40-minute Swedish massage".
The dog massage courses, run by a UK-based canine massage therapy centre, are held in Worcestershire, Herefordshire or online, costing between £138 and £192 per person.
The courses teach participants how to "help loosen stiff, sore, tight muscles" and "improve comfort levels and their sense of wellbeing" in dogs.
The Home Office has spent nearly £1,000 of taxpayers' money sending Border Force officials on Swedish dog massage courses
GETTYOther expenditure on Border Force dogs included £574.70 on "dog enrichment" items such as puzzles and sand for play pits.
The Home Office also spent £706.81 on a paddling pool and sandpit lids, £520 on bed mattresses and over £1,000 on air conditioning units.
The spending comes amid Labour's efforts to rein in Whitehall expenditure and cut civil service numbers.
All departments have been ordered to slash administrative costs by 15 per cent over the next five years - while Chancellor Rachel Reeves has specifically instructed Whitehall to save £2billion annually.
Last month, Cabinet Office chief Pat McFadden launched an urgent review into Government-issued credit cards after mandarins were caught spending on luxury away days and Fortnum & Mason goods.
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Other expenditure on Border Force dogs included £574.70 on 'dog enrichment' items such as puzzles and sand for play pits
HOME OFFICE
The Cabinet Office has also banned branded merchandise such as mugs and jumpers to help cut costs.
That came before the news that more than 2,000 jobs will be axed and around 1,200 people will be made redundant in the department as part of McFadden's own cuts.
Officials have also been prohibited from organising "away days" at expensive venues when Government buildings are available.
Shadow Department for Business and Trade Minister Greg Smith condemned the spending, saying: "Civil servants are there to deliver services and good government for people in this country. I am utterly lost at what a Swedish dog massage course could possibly do to help that mission."
But the Home Office defended the expenditure, and claimed critics were "barking up the wrong tree".
The Home Office claimed critics were 'barking up the wrong tree'
UK GOVERNMENT
A Government spokesman said: "Our Border Force dogs do an outstanding job every day, helping to detect billions of pounds worth of drugs being smuggled into our country, and discovering the evidence that puts dangerous organised criminals behind bars."
The Home Office further explained that the dog massages were intended to treat physical ailments, while paddling pools allow the dogs to cool off after demanding search sessions on hot days.
Civil service dogs have been used by the Government since 1978 to detect drugs and other contraband items at UK borders.
There are currently around 64 dogs in service across the UK's major ports and airports.
The spokesman added: "We make no apologies whatsoever for keeping our dogs well looked after so they are always ready to perform that essential work when called upon."
