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WHAT WE DO
PROTECT. CELEBRATE. REHABILITATE.
We are a national dog welfare charity which protects, celebrates, supports and rehabilitates both serving and retired police dogs from across the UK.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF SERVING AND RETIRED POLICE DOGS
Police dogs dedicate years to serving their communities and helping fight crime. Once retired, police dogs do not receive a pension or any other financial support from the government or the police force they served with, meaning that the responsibility for their care and the cost of their vet bills falls solely on their ex-handler or new owner.
In 2020, our foundation was launched to ensure that all retired police dogs across the UK would have access to support when they needed it, as we didn’t want any owner of a retired police dog to end up in a heartbreaking situation where they had to make a difficult decision about their dog’s future simply due to the cost of treatment.
We support retired police dogs from across the UK by covering the cost of treatment for ongoing pain relief and medications for conditions such as osteoarthritis; we pay for treatment and therapy to improve dogs’ quality of life, such as hydrotherapy; and we also cover the costs of unexpected treatments and emergency surgeries, such as spinal surgery, the removal of tumours, and even hip replacements.
OUR JOURNEY
founded in 2020
Our foundation was launched in August 2020 by our ambassa-dog RPD Finn, making us the UK’s first national charity dedicated to the welfare of serving and retired police dogs.
our first grant
In September 2020, retired Ministry of Defence sniffer dog Atos became the first dog we supported when he needed cruciate ligament surgery, costing £3,000.
first aid training
We partnered with Animal Friends Insurance and Dog First Aid to offer first aid training to all UK police dog handlers, with 300 completing it.
inaugural awards
With the support of Animal Friends Insurance, we launched our first Thin Blue Paw Awards which celebrated an amazing array of dogs and handlers.
£125k in grants
We issued £125,000 in grants to the owners of dogs in the first two-and-a-half years for emergency surgeries, routine treatments and medication so they can enjoy retired life.
INSURANCE AVAILABILITY
Thanks to our work with some of the UK’s leading insurance companies, we managed to encourage two firms to launch pioneering policies that are open to retired police dogs.
£300k in grants
As we marked our fourth birthday we hit another milestone: £300,000 in grants issued to the dedicated owners of dogs who needed veterinary care or treatment.
WELFARE PACKS
Following the 2024 riots which saw dozens of police dogs injured, we issued 280 welfare packs to serving dogs across the UK including first aid kits, treats and toys.
protect
We will provide greater protection for serving police dogs, through influencing law makers and supporting campaigns such as #FinnsLaw. In addition, we are the UK’s first charity to explore providing personal protective equipment for serving police dogs across the UK, such as stab vests, paw protectors, canine first aid kits. We are working to roll out first aid training to all police dog handlers and provide all units with canine first aid kits.
CELEBRATE
Every day police dogs are on the frontline keeping us safe. From finding high risk missing people to catching criminals, they go above and beyond to provide an outstanding service to the communities in which they serve. They risk their lives so we can stay safe. Through our Thin Bue Paw Awards we celebrate their heroism and shine a light on their incredible achievements both whilst in service and once they’re retired.
REHABILITATE
After retiring from active service, the cost of caring for a retired police dog falls solely to their previous handler or new owner, as they’re not afforded a pension from the government or police force they served with. That’s where we step in and provide much-needed financial support to help cover the cost of medication and treatment. Our charitable foundation is open to all retired police dogs within the United Kingdom.
OUR TRUSTEES
Kieran Stanbridge
FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN
Kieran is an experienced senior leader, having previously worked for brands such as The Diana Award, The Royal Kennel Club, Crufts and YuMOVE. He was responsible for creating our foundation’s brand identity and, as our Chairman, leads our marketing, fundraising and communications efforts.
DAVE WARDELL
founder and trustee
Dave joined Hertfordshire Constabulary and became a dog handler. His first police dog was Finn and, together, they campaigned for #FinnsLaw, after Finn was stabbed in the line of duty. He now manages a rescue kennels for German Shepherds and a dog training school in Cornwall.
gEMMA WARDELL
founder and trustee
Gemma and Dave live with their three daughters and seven dogs, and manage a rescue kennels for German Shepherds. She has a close association with the police and a real passion for the welfare of police dogs. She organises our events to raise awareness of our work and reach new supporters.
OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM
JENNY PRESTON
MERCHANDISE
Jenny was a police dog handler with Kent Police for almost 20 years before retiring with police dogs Jabba, JJ and Ronnie to run her clothing business. Jenny manages the foundation’s online store and represents us at events.
AMY OCKELFORD
PR AND COMMUNICATIONS
Amy has worked in journalism and PR for 15 years, including in the charity and animal welfare sector. She has a rescue dog called Storm and got involved with the Foundation due to her love for German Shepherds.
MANDY ARNOTT
HEAD OF OPERATIONS
Mandy grew up with German Shepherds and has always been passionate about dog welfare. She helps with the Foundation’s day-to-day operations and management, and believes all dogs deserve support in their retirement.
Register your retired police dog
Thinking of registering your retired police dog with our foundation? Registration is open to retired police dogs from across the United Kingdom who meet our eligibility criteria.
THIN blue paw awards
We launched the Thin Blue Paw Awards as a way to celebrate and pay tribute to the incredible bravery and outstanding dedication of our police dogs and their handlers.
police dog finn memorial
Find out more about our memorial to late ambassa-dog police dog Finn, his heroic career, including his staring moment on Britain’s Got Talent and his legacy as the only police dog in the UK to change the law.
remembrance paw campaign
Buy one of our special Remembrance Paw tags or badges to pay your respects to service animals past and present, while also supporting our work supporting retired police dogs.
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
STAY UP TO DATE
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