A statue of police dog Finn has been officially unveiled in the town he called home – and where he bravely served. The bronze statue was revealed during a public ceremony held on Sunday, 27 July in Layston Court Gardens, Buntingford, by our foundation, marking two years since Finn’s passing.
German Shepherd Finn, affectionately known as Fabulous Finn, died peacefully in his sleep on 28 July 2023 at the age of 14, at his retirement home in Cornwall. During his remarkable life, Finn captured the hearts of millions across the UK and beyond through his incredible bravery and the powerful campaign he inspired to protect service animals.
In 2016, Finn was stabbed while protecting his handler, Hertfordshire Police officer PC Dave Wardell, during a violent incident in Stevenage. He suffered life-threatening injuries to his head and chest but survived following life-saving surgery. Shockingly, his attacker was charged only with criminal damage, a decision that left Dave devastated.
Determined to ensure no service animal would face the same injustice, Finn and Dave launched a high-profile campaign, later known as Finn’s Law. Their work led to the passing of the Animal Welfare (Service Animals) Act in 2019, securing greater legal protection for police dogs and other service animals across the country.
Our Chairman Kieran Stanbridge said: “Finn was one of the most decorated police dogs in our history and not only served his community valiantly and loyally during his career, but put his life on the line to save Dave during a violent and dangerous incident.
“He went on to capture the hearts of the nation and worked tirelessly to shine a light on the bravery and dedication of police dogs, while also bringing about change to our laws to ensure these courageous animals have the legal protection they deserve whilst serving.
“We felt he needed to be remembered and honoured appropriately and we’re proud to have raised the funds to pay for this beautiful memorial in his memory. We also hope it will become a place of reflection and dedication for all police dogs, both past and present.”
The 80kg sculpture of Finn was created by specialist animal sculptor Suzie Marsh and took 11 months to complete, including the initial clay modelling and the bronze casting process. Suzie sculpted the original figure in stoneware clay, which was then used by the foundry to create a wax casting. This wax model formed the basis for the moulds needed to cast the final bronze statue.
Suzie said: “I’m passionate about animals and the bonds we share with them and I’ve worked with many charities as a way of giving something back to them.
“I was delighted and honoured to be chosen for this project and feel the result is a fitting memorial to a well-loved, brave and special dog.”
Dave said: “Finn was by my side every single day for over a decade, first as my police partner and then as my best friend. I was completely lost when I had to say goodbye.
“It was incredibly humbling when I found out that the Foundation wanted to create a memorial in his honour and I was absolutely staggered by the response that the fundraiser had from the public. It goes to show how many people were touched by Finn’s story.”
“I am amazed at how Suzie has managed to capture Finn’s kind, gentle face as well as the focus behind his eyes. I hope it’ll become a place where others can come to pay tribute not only to Finn but to the thousands of police dogs who have worked to keep their communities safe.”
Buntingford Town Mayor Duncan Wallace said: “The Town Council is privileged to have been chosen to site this wonderful legacy to Finn in his home town of Buntingford, reminding us all of his story and what he helped achieve for service dogs across our country.”
Thanks to the goodwill of the people involved in the Police Dog Finn Memorial project, many of whom provided their services at cost or at a significantly reduced rate, we are delighted to share that £29,000 of the funds raised in the memorial fundraiser is able to be redirected towards our Foundation’s core charitable aims, continuing Finn’s legacy.
