Latest news with #NFRSA
BBC News
14-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Police dog who 'gave everything' needs £14k surgery
A retired police dog commended for her bravery will need a critical spinal surgery costing £14,000 to stop her losing all mobility, an animal charity Kent Police dog Coty, who served for nearly four years, was involved in numerous operations including at the G7 summit in was also commended for catching criminals such as a domestic abuse suspect hiding in a crop five-year-old Coty, who retired in July 2024 after suffering from arthritis and two cysts on her spine, will now require major surgery to save her from being put down, the National Foundation for Retired Service Animals (NFRSA) says. 'She gave everything' PC Lisa Milligan, Coty's owner and former handler, said: "She just wants to run again."She lived for the job - always the first to leap into action, to sniff out a clue, to stand between danger and me. "She gave everything and now she can't even stand properly on her own."Coty joined Kent Police at 10 weeks old and went on to win multiple awards for obedience and tracking operations she was involved in included chasing suspects from a cannabis farm and finding a road traffic collision suspect hiding in a river. Coty's retirement came after she began to lose control of her back legs, and she had surgery to remove cysts from her the NFRSA say she needs stabilising rods placed into two areas of her charity is fundraising to pay for the surgery comes amid calls from animal charity the Thin Blue Paw for ex-police dogs to receive a pension to pay for vet Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson, patron of the NFRSA, said: "Coty's tragic story reminds us of their dedication. I hope the entire country gets behind this beautiful police dog, whose shining career has been cut so tragically short."
STV News
12-06-2025
- STV News
Hero police dog stabbed on duty to be honoured by painting
A police dog that was injured while responding to a knife incident in Aberdeen is to be honoured in the form of a painting. PD Zeus, a six-year-old Belgian Malinois, became a local hero earlier this year after sustaining multiple stab wounds while on duty with Police Scotland during a serious incident. The dog suffered injuries during the incident and was taken to the vets for treatment. Zeus has since recovered from his injuries and returned to policing duties. His courage, along with the leadership of his handler, sergeant Paul Wigley, was recognised in April with the inaugural National Foundation of Retired Service Animals (NFRSA) Bravery Award. To mark Zeus's heroism, North East Scotland College's (NESCol) art and design department invited students to create a portrait or full-body painting of the courageous canine. Students were commissioned to submit an initial A3 painting as a proposal for a finalised piece. Following an initial visit to the campus, during which Zeus posed 'patiently' for photographs, he returned along with his handler, PC Steve Warden and chief inspector Cath Thorburn to select the winning submission. 'We are immensely proud to honour police dog Zeus with a portrait in recognition of his bravery,' said chief inspector Cath Thorburn of Police Scotland's dog unit. 'The character and professionalism shown by Zeus highlight how highly trained our police dogs are and the hours of work and care to develop that bond with their handler. 'Our dogs serve the public alongside officers every day, and they are a part of the police family. 'This tribute reflects the deep appreciation held by students, staff and the wider public, and we are extremely grateful for this kind gesture.' The panel chose a portrait painted by Agata Sood, an art and design portfolio building student, who will recreate her work into a larger piece that will go on permanent display at Nelson Street Police Station in Aberdeen. 'It's amazing – I was surprised also because there were so many other talented painters who made really great work,' explained Agata. 'This was actually my first painting of the dog; I paint quite a lot of paintings, but mainly landscapes. 'But it was quite a nice challenge; I quite enjoyed this.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
