Retired Surrey police dog 'lucky to be alive' after mystery infection

A retired police dog who fell seriously ill with a mystery infection is back home recovering after emergency treatment and support from a charity.

Eleven-year-old retired police dog (RPD) Polly served with Surrey and Sussex Police for six years, spending four of those alongside her handler and "best friend", PC Claire Harrison.

After retiring in 2022, Polly, a German Shepherd-Belgian Malinois cross, went to live with Claire and her family. She had been in good health until Claire noticed a small cut on her leg at the end of July.

Claire said: "In the space of 24 hours my whole world came crashing down. Having already seen a vet and on a treatment plan, things took a turn for the worst, and Polly's leg ballooned, swelling up to three times its normal size.

"I rushed her to the emergency vet and the prognosis was not good. She was extremely poorly and they said the next 48 hours would be critical. What was most worrying was that the infection had come out of nowhere; we had no idea what was causing it so, therefore, it wasn't clear what the best treatment would be.

"Polly has been my best friend for almost 10 years; working alongside me policing the front line for a large part of this, and keeping me – and the public – safe; always making sure I returned home to my family.

"I owe her so much, including the retirement she so rightly deserves, so when the unthinkable happened and I knew the costs would go into thousands of pounds my heart sank because, without insurance, I didn't know how I'd pay the bill."

The Thin Blue Paw Foundation, which supports retired police dogs with veterinary and rehabilitation costs, stepped in to help pay for Polly's treatment after the bill exceeded £4,000.

Claire added: "The Thin Blue Paw instantly relieved so much of the burden I was feeling. No words can describe what their support has meant to me and Polly because, without it, I may have had to make one of the hardest decisions of my life, coupled with the guilt that financially I couldn't help my best friend."

Vets admitted Polly on July 25, for close monitoring and started her on antibiotics. The dog reacted to the first course of medication and had to be switched to a different treatment.

Thin Blue Paw Foundation founder Kieran Stanbridge said: "Polly's paws pounded the pavements of Surrey and Sussex alongside Claire and the other police officers, doing her bit every day to fight crime and keep the public safe. But when she retired, she wasn't afforded a pension.

"So the cost of her care fell to Claire and, with an ageing dog and no insurance, that can be a huge financial responsibility.

"We started the Foundation to ensure there would be someone there to support these heroic dogs – and their owners – in their times of need. We don't want an owner to ever be in a situation where they have to make the heartbreaking decision to say goodbye to their best friend just because of the cost of the treatment they need."

Polly has since returned home and is recovering.

The dog served for six years after partnering with Claire in 2017 before retiring in 2022.

Claire said: "I always felt safe deployed with Polly; I knew she'd have my back.

"During one incident involving a knifeman, Polly detained a suspect and managed to pin him to the floor so he couldn't get to me with the weapon. She definitely had my back that day."

Polly spent her final year with another handler after Claire was signed off work with a serious knee injury.

"When Polly retired and was returned to me it was so special," Claire said. "She was my therapy dog through everything. And my nine-year-old daughter – who'd grown up alongside her – was so happy to have her home.

"She is a proper character and very intelligent. She had a presence about her when she was working, and was excellent at tracking.

"She is very resilient and I'm sure that's got her through. She's lucky to be alive."

The Thin Blue Paw Foundation has supported more than 170 retired police dogs since it was founded in 2020, providing more than £450,000 in financial assistance for veterinary treatment, medication and rehabilitation.

The charity has also launched a campaign calling on the Government to fund pensions for retired police dogs to help owners meet veterinary costs.

People can find out more about the campaign and support the charity via the Thin Blue Paw Foundation website.