Calls for police dogs to be awarded government pensions when they retire
A campaign has been launched by a dog charity for retited police dogs to be given their own pensions to pay for vets bills
By Norman Silvester
A Scottish police dog called Keach could be one of the first in Britain to get its own government pension.
A charity that supports police dogs when they retire has launched a campaign calling for pensions for all police service animals when they retire.
The Thin Blue Paw Foundation has also launched a petition calling for the Government to introduce mandatory financial assistance for retired canines – or police dog pensions as they are calling them.
Blue Paw say owners are currently left with hefty vet bills as former police dogs are more prone to health and medical problems due to their strenuous working lives.
Fourteen-year-old German Shepherd Keach was bred by West Midlands Police in England and became a police dog there before moving to Police Scotland when she was two.
She was partnered with Constable Julie Roy as a general purpose police dog and served for six years before retiring to live with Julie and her other dog, Mollie.
At 12, Keach was diagnosed with spondylosis (arthritis of the spine) and arthritis in her knee; As a result she needs regular pain relief to manage the conditions, which the Thin Blue Paw Foundation pays for.
Julie said: ' Vet bills are expensive and our dogs have worked hard in their working life, putting extra strain on the joints and the body. "These dogs deserve to have ongoing support when they retire, so they can access the medication and treatment they need having served their communities for so long.'
During his time in with Police Scotland Keach, who was based in Edinburgh, specialised in searching for missing persons but also helped nab his fair share of crooks.
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in!
If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Blue Paw supports retired police dogs across the UK and since launching in August 2020 has provided grants totalling more than £380,000 for surgery medication, and regular therapy.
Blue Paw Foundation Chairman Kieran Stanbridge added: 'Police dogs give the best years of their lives to the job. They throw themselves into dangerous situations without a second thought, they show unwavering loyalty to their handler and their job, and they give so much to help fight crime and keep the public safe.
'During their careers they receive the very best care and support from the force they serve with but, as soon as they hang up their harness, they're on their own, and the responsibility for their often-expensive care falls to their ex-handler or new owner.
'We believe that the Home Office who allocate funding to police forces nationally have an ethical and moral obligation to these dogs and shouldn't turn their backs on them when it's time to pay them back for everything they've done."
There are around 1,700 serving police dogs operating across the UK's 45 police forces, and an estimated 100 retire every year.
Blue Foundation says arthritis is the most common condition it helps owners treat and, based on an average of £200 each month for pain-relief medication, estimates that it costs around £2,400 a year more to care for a retired police dog than a normal pet dog of a similar age and breed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- The Guardian
It's high time Britain had another conversation about cannabis
The findings of the London Drugs Commission are welcome after a decade or more of static drug policy in the UK (Worried about weed: should London follow New York and decriminalise cannabis?, 31 May). While the report focuses on London, the suggestions resonate across the UK and beyond. Cannabis was reclassified from class B to class C in 2004, reducing the penalties for possession, after the home secretary (David Blunkett) took the advice of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. Unfortunately, the Labour government asked the council to reconsider its advice based on protests about the risks of cannabis to health. The council, headed by Sir Michael Rawlins, confirmed its advice that the drug should stay in class C. The government disagreed this time and returned it to class B. Police Scotland some years ago announced that it would concentrate on more serious issues and reduce attention on simple possession-of-cannabis offences. Returning the drug to a class with a lower sentencing tariff clearly makes sense. The requirements for a functioning education and health service regarding drug use and addiction are clearly the next target and at present it is hard to identify anything but inadequate provision in primary or specialist services. Scotland is innovating in the establishment of a safer injecting room and a heroin assisted-treatment programme in Glasgow, but across the addiction field progress is slow. The commission didn't recommend legislation but without a national approach progress in addiction policy is fragmented and RobertsonProfessor of addiction medicine, University of Edinburgh Your article about decriminalising cannabis in London doesn't take into account the impact on people who don't want the smell of weed all around them. I've recently been on a short break to New York, which was marred by the inescapable smell of weed everywhere. It was in the streets, the shop doorways and even permeated the shops and restaurants as people smoked their joints outside. It's bad enough that we have to breathe in the sickly smell of vapes on the street without having to endure the pungent odour of pot everywhere. This is more than an issue about not prosecuting people for drug use, it's a quality-of-life issue for everyone. If it's decriminalised in London, the rest of the country is sure to follow Ludlow MooneyBacup, Lancashire Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
The National
5 hours ago
- The National
Perthshire children's hospice announces major £17 million revamp
The Kinross-based Rachel House is one of two children's hospices run by Children's Hospices Across Scotland (Chas) and will undergo 'extensive upgrades' to ensure it continues to meet the needs of the families who rely on it. The redesign will include an additional hydrotherapy pool, better-equipped bedrooms, and fully accessible adventure gardens. Work on the building is due to start next year, with the full project set for completion in 2027, subject to approval from Perth and Kinross Council. READ MORE: More than £1m in funding announced for restoration projects for Scottish coastline The charity said that the redesign had 'put children and families at the heart of the process' with their input key to the changes being made. Dr Qusai Alhamdan, whose children Mo and Elaine have been supported by Rachel House since 2021, said Rachel House holds a 'very close' place in her family's hearts. The children both suffer from ataxia with oculomotor apraxia, which causes problems with movement, co-ordination and balance. (Image: Children's Hospices Across Scotland) 'As their condition is degenerative, making memories together as a family is very important to us and we have spent many wonderful respite visits at Rachel House over the last four years,' Alhamdan said. 'My wife Esraa and I find our visits to the hospice very relaxing because we don't have to worry about our caring responsibilities as the lovely nurses and staff take over and do everything that is needed so we can just enjoy precious time together.' Built in 1996, Rachel House cost £10m and supported just under 100 children a year in the first few years. Now that number has more than doubled and continues to rise, the charity said. Ken Lowndes' two daughters, Jenny and Marion, were two of the first children to be cared for when the hospice first opened. Both were born healthy, normal babies, but with a two-year age gap, Jenny and Marion were diagnosed with leukodystrophy when they were four years old. Before Rachel House opened, the family made a regular 900-mile round trip from their home in Achiltibuie, north of Ullapool, to Martin House in West Yorkshire. (Image: Children's Hospices Across Scotland) Lowndes said: 'The time we had together in Rachel House was precious for our whole family. It was a place my wife Ann and I felt supported and where we knew our girls would be loved and cared for. 'Children's hospices can sound frightening but in reality it's a place of joy, light and humour, where memories are made and where parents can recharge their batteries and can just be parents – not parent, medic, and round the clock carer.' He added: 'We helped to fundraise for Rachel House but we never knew if Jenny and Marion would get to visit, if they'd live to see it. They did. They loved it, as did we all. 'Ensuring the next generation of families has the same standard of care that my family experienced is vital and the redesigned Rachel House will go on to make a huge difference to hundreds more Scottish families.' Chas CEO, Rami Okasha, said the project is a huge development for the charity, but one they haven't taken on lightly. He added that the charity wants to transform end-of-life care for children and continue to deliver the highest level of care at the hospice. Okasha said: 'CHAS gives unwavering care to children who may die young, and their families, at every step on the hardest of journeys. Rebuilding Rachel House will cost £17 million and is part of getting that right. Applying for planning permission today is the first important step for us. (Image: Children's Hospices Across Scotland) 'This is a huge project for us and one we haven't taken on lightly. We want to transform end-of-life care for children and their families in Scotland. While Rachel House has served hundreds of families well until now, to deliver the high-level care required long into the future we need to upgrade and rebuild. Okasha added: 'No one should face the death of their child alone and to be successful we are once again asking or donors to get on board and help raise the millions of pounds that will make a difference every day for families dealing with the unimaginable reality of loving and caring for a child who will die young.'
Daily Record
5 hours ago
- Daily Record
Medik8 unveils 'miracle' new serum that 'defends against premature ageing'
The results-driven brand has added a powerhouse new serum that boasts an "intelligent" combination of ingredients. Looking to target dull skin and wrinkles? Then many experts experts would agree that it is worth purchasing skincare products with vitamin C One that has become a staple for many beauty enthusiasts is Medik8's C-Tetra range, with the celebrity approved brand's range of serums said to "visibly reduce" wrinkles and hyperpigmentation within four weeks. Now there's a brand new addition, as the firm says the "wait is over" after adding the C-Tetra Advanced to the line-up, and, owing to Medik8's reputation, it has been hailed as a "miracle in a bottle." Retailing at £69 for a 30ml bottle, this serum has been designed to be used in a morning skincare routine, using a powerful formula that works to "defend against premature skin ageing and achieve accelerated visible skin brightening." Said to be infused with a next-generation combination of 20 percent vitamin C and cutting edge phyto exosomes, it helps to shield and improve the skin from any environmental aggressors that can cause early signs of ageing. The "intelligent" formula provides smarter, not harsher, results, with skin tone said to be "visibly brightened" in just seven days, leaving a soft, smooth, even complexion. It also offers a unique texture, acting as a gel-serum that is said to be "fast absorbing", leaving the skin "instantly refreshed", while also hydrating, priming and smoothing. Medik8 C-Tetra Advanced, 30ml £69 Medik8 Buy here Product Description While the new Medik8 serum is a unique addition to the market, there are a few other powerhouses on the high street. This includes The Ordinary's £14.28 Multi-Antioxidant Radiance Serum (30ml) that uses eight technologies to brighten and protect. Another that is fairly new to the UK is Olay's Super Serum that costs £18.14 for a 30ml on Amazon. The first of its kind to offer five ingredients, including vitamin C, it offers a multitude of benefits that range from brightening to anti-ageing. Skincare buffs keen to know more about the new C-Tetra Advanced might be eager to know that it has already earned a 4.8 rating from those who managed to sample it, with praise saying it "minimises" lines and leaves skin "brighter." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. A five-star review read: "This was an absolute treat to use. Applied smoothly, visibly made my complexion look radiant and bright. In the morning I looked nice and fresh, smooth looking skin reduced the look of wrinkles. Another miracle in a bottle by Medik8." A second read: "I absolutely love this product, within a few days my skin looked so much brighter & smoother plus my wrinkles seemed to have reduced, in my experience it's not often you see a noticeable improvement so quickly with skincare products, even my husband said I look fresh faced!!! Beauty deal of the week It's almost Father's Day, and are you in need of some gift inspiration? If you don't want to buy a last minute gift, then we have you covered, as a bottle of aftershave is always a good shout and Debenhams has just cut the Yves Saint Laurent L'Homme Eau De Toilette from £92 to just £55.20 for a large 100ml bottle. There is also a smaller 60ml bottle that is a bit cheaper, with the price being reduced by 37 per cent from £68 to £43. Since reviews say it "stands out from the crowd", it's a deal worth bagging for dad. Launched in 2006, this YSL fragrance has been described as "a fragrance for the urban and charismatic 21st century male". For the guy in your life who likes to smell a little different, then this is the bottle to reach for. It opens on sparkling notes of bergamot, zesty cedarwood and Chinese ginger that has been met with the middle notes of violet leaves and basil flowers, offering a floral and spicy contrast. It is said to end on base notes of sandalwood, Virginia cedar wood and Haitian vetiver to "highlight this charismatic and magnetic fragrance." Those who want to stand out from the crowd will appreciate the YSL L'Homme Eau De Toilette, as it has earned a 4.7 rating from Debenhams fragrance buffs who have said it is "unusual" and "always gets compliments." One positive review read: "An unusual and outstanding men's perfume! What an interesting fresh yet a hint of spice men's perfume! It's different. Stands out from the crowd. Purchase the Yves Saint Laurent L'Homme Eau De Toilette (100ml) in the Debenhams sale here. "It's light & quickly absorbed so very easy to apply. C Tetra Advanced really made a difference & I will be making a purchase when it's launched!" Someone else praising the results said: "My skin looked visibly improved after four weeks of use in terms of ageing and minimising lines and wrinkles. It also gave it a radiance that made it look healthy and younger. I can't recommend this product enough!" A few users haven't been keen on the texture or the scent, as one such three-star review read: "Although this serum absorbs quickly I was not keen on the smell and found the consistency too thin for my liking." Although, this wasn't the case for most reviewers, as a fan of the formula said: "The C-Tetra advanced is the perfect consistency goes onto the skin nice and smoothly and is not greasy. It has a lovely smell and gives a nice radiance to the face." Purchase the new Medik8 C-Tetra Advanced (30ml) for £69 here.
