Appeal for help to care for 'hero' ex-police dog

A charity supporting a retired police dog who was beaten and stabbed in the line of duty is appealing for help to cover the cost of his vet bills.

Quantum, 10, retired from Nottinghamshire Police in 2022 after a six-year career in which he helped catch a string of violent criminals.

Charity Hero Paws said Quantum had developed dental and mobility issues, believed to be linked to his police work, which had led to thousands of pounds in vet bills.

According to national police guidance, once a retired police dog is handed over, the new owner takes on responsibility for costs and welfare, with support from charities if needed.

Quantum, a German Shepherd, secured more than 250 arrests during his time with the force.

He earned a national bravery award after he was injured taking down a machete-wielding suspect in 2018.

In 2020, Quantum helped detain a violent criminal at Nottingham railway station who had already assaulted several officers.

The suspect hit him round the head with a plank of wood, but he continued to grab on to them.

When he retired, he was described by handler and new owner Jen Ellse as "everything you would want from a police dog - dependable, loyal, reliable and absolutely fearless".

Hero Paws is supporting Ellse along with fellow charity Thin Blue Paw.

Hero Paws said it had been supporting her since it was discovered Quantum had a broken tooth likely caused by his years of service and was not covered by insurance.

He has also developed joint pain and mobility issues since retiring due to ill health, which they believe is also linked to the physical demands of the job.

The charity said the cost of investigating the cause had reached about £10,000, but believe with the right medication his condition and quality of life could be improved.

While they have stepped in to help Ellse with the costs, they said they need public support to continue doing so.

Jaime Garner, an army veteran and founder of Hero Paws, which also offers support to retired military dogs, said: "Police dogs don't actually get any support post service.

"Once the handler signs over as the guardian, as the owner, that's it.

"As you can imagine, these bills do mount up and life is not cheap at the moment.

"We still class them as a piece of equipment in some cases.

"More needs to be done and we need to look at these animals, not as animals, but as a partnership, as another officer, another soldier.

"I don't think any human or animal veteran should need charity help, the support should automatically be there."

Each year, 50 to 70 dogs retire and are adopted by members of the public or their former handler, the BBC reported last year, but they often come with complex medical needs.

Thin Blue Paw estimated adopting a retired police dog costs an average of £3,000 more a year compared to taking on an equivalent dog. Insurance can also be difficult to find for them, the charity added.

Kieran Stanbridge, founder of the Thin Blue Paw, said: "After a lifetime of service to communities across the UK, police dogs like Quantum are not afforded a pension in retirement.

"As a result, the cost of their veterinary care falls entirely to their former handler or to the members of the public who give these heroes a loving home.

"We are calling on the government to provide lifelong care in the form of a pension, ensuring these brave dogs are properly supported by the very government that asked so much of them throughout their service."

The National Police Chiefs' Council, in its guidance on police dog welfare, confirmed: "The welfare and financial liabilities for retired police dogs are the responsibility of their new owners."

The guidance also states police dogs are usually homed with their handlers but where that's not possible, a suitable family should be found and a "comprehensive handover" provided.

Nottinghamshire Police said it followed this guidance.

It also confirmed a police dog pension scheme, set up by the previous Police and Crime Commissioner in 2013, is no longer running.

The Home Office said each force makes its own policies, and it has no plans to change the retirement process.

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