We helped with the cost of emergency treatment when a retired police dog fell ill after an overdose of cannabis.
RPD Heidie served as a general purpose dog with Police Scotland for four years before retiring alongside her handler, Jo, in 2022.
Her nose had never let her down, until she was out walking late one evening near her home in Motherwell.
Jo didn’t notice anything untoward until the middle of the night, when Heidie wanted to go to the toilet but couldn’t use her back legs and was flinching when she was touched.
Jo said: “I was so upset; I thought she’d had a stroke so I rushed her to the emergency vets. I was shocked when they told me they thought she’d had a marijuana overdose! I couldn’t believe it; an ex-police dog who’d had too much cannabis!”
Vets made nine-year-old German Shepherd Heidie sick and treated her with medication before sending her home where she slept all day.
Jo added: “I can only think she managed to pick up a small amount of the drug while we were out on her evening walk. She never eats things off the floor; it was very odd, but quite funny for a retired police dog to get caught red-handed on drugs!”
The Foundation paid the £500 vet bill and our founder, Kieran Stanbridge, said: “Heidie is the first dog we’ve had to support after eating an illegal drug, but she may not be the last! We never know what could be coming around the corner and, if we’ve learned anything, it’s to expect the unexpected!”
Jo added: “I’m hugely grateful to the Thin Blue Paw for being there to help Heidie, and me, when we needed them most. Heidie means the world to me and getting help at this difficult time was really helpful, especially with the cost of living as it is right now.”
