MEET
RPD Kez
German Shepherd
Northamptonshire Police
General Purpose
Musculoskeletal injury
MEET RETIRED POLICE DOG KEZ
What was Kez’s career like?
“Kez secured 126 arrests, found nine high-risk missing people and recovered more than £100,000 worth of goods. PD Kez hit the ground running in her policing career, securing four prisoners and finding evidential property within two weeks of becoming licensed in November 2018.”
What was Kez like as a police dog?
“Her successes include recovering £50,000 of stolen electronic goods following a commercial burglary, finding £15,000 of tack and equestrian equipment after a break-in at a stables, and tracking two armed men who had tried to break into an address, following them across a river and through gardens to successfully detain one man and also locate weapons discarded by the pair.”
What is your proudest moment?
“She also saved a missing elderly man’s life after tracking in difficult conditions to find him stuck in undergrowth, hypothermic and injured after falling down a bank. Due to the cold, wet weather, the man would almost certainly have died without her.”
Why is the Foundation important?
“The Foundation is incredibly important in supporting retired police dogs who aren’t afforded the same protection and insurance in their retirement as pet dogs.”
HOW WE HELPED RETIRED POLICE DOG KEZ IN RETIREMENT
RPD Kez was bred by the West Midlands Police dog breeding programme and joined Northamptonshire Police at 14-months-old in 2018, serving for five years as a general purpose police dog.
During her career she was an ‘outstanding’ tracking dog with many operational arrests and finds under her collar and, in 2020, became a tactical firearms support dog.
She was forced to retire after being diagnosed with a degenerative musculoskeletal injury to her lumbosacral joint.
Her handler, Ben Rowell, who adopted her when she retired in 2023, said: “This injury was sustained through the work she has tirelessly undertaken.


“Extensive physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, steroid injections and shockwave therapy allowed her to continue working until the decision was made to medically retire her to give her the best chance of leading a happy life in retirement.”
Ben added: “Kez has settled well into retirement although she occasionally tries to sneak out to the van to come back to work!
“She loves getting cuddles and fuss from my two young daughters and enjoys meeting new people and dogs when we’re out on long walks.
“She’s joined us on family holidays to the seaside and loved playing on the beach.”
The Foundation supported Kez in 2023, funding medication for around £180 which, Ben says, “was a huge help to me”.

“It’s so reassuring to have the Thin Blue Paw there to support the dogs and their handlers at what could be such an emotionally and financially challenging moment.”
Ben, Kez’s former handler and owner
BENEFICIARIES OF OUR GRANTS

Sponsor a retired police dog
Help us with the costs to rehabilitate heroic retired police dogs once they leave the line of duty by sponsoring a dog to support their ongoing care and treatment.
Your sponsorship pack will include:
- Sponsorship certificate
- Photo of your sponsor dog
- A cuddly German Shepherd teddy
- Quarterly email updates on your sponsor dog

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