MEET

RPD Diesel

Breed of dogSpringer Spaniel

Location of servitudePolice Scotland

Type of serviceSearch & Detection

ConditionBroken elbow

Grant amount received£1,000

  • Retired police dog Diesel
  • Police dog Diesel searching

HOW WE HELPED RETIRED POLICE DOG DIESEL IN RETIREMENT

RPD Diesel was donated to Police Scotland by his owners in 2012 and was partnered with handler PC Janet Findlay to work as a victim recovery dog.

The pair hit the ground running when they licensed in 2013 and Diesel was the first dog to indicate a find with a bark instead of a passive response.

Janet, from Glasgow, said: “During his three-year service Diesel was deployed throughout Scotland to help with various searches for missing people and suspects.

“He carried out searches in houses, cars and open countryside, including long operations for missing people including a dementia sufferer who was sadly never found and a young man whose body was tragically found in water a few miles away.”

Police dog Diesel with his handler, Janet
Police dog Diesel searching

Diesel was instrumental in identifying a vehicle in which a high-profile murder victim’s body had previously been kept.  

Janet added: “In 2016 Diesel broke his elbow while he was off-duty. He had several operations and needed a pin inserted into his elbow. Despite time to rehabilitate and recover he was sadly unable to return to work and eventually retired in 2018.”

He was adopted by Janet to live with her other two retired police dogs and her two pet rabbits and cat. 

He needed regular physiotherapy, hydrotherapy and laser treatment as well as taking daily joint medication – all of which are paid for by Janet, but she called on us for support when he needed x-rays to check on the pins in his elbow.

Retired police dog Diesel

“The Foundation has supported Diesel which was a huge help after I retired following 30 years of service. I’d like to say a huge thank you to the Thin Blue Paw for being there for all retired police dogs.”

Janet, Diesel’s former handler and owner

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