Hero police dogs honoured for bravery, crimefighting and extraordinary service
By Animals Correspondent
A police spaniel who helped find the bodies of six missing people, a German Shepherd who faced an armed suspect and a retired police dog who has undergone £20,000 of treatment have been honoured at this year's Thin Blue Paw Awards.
The four-legged heroes are among the winners of the annual awards, which celebrate the bravery, dedication and resilience of working and retired police dogs across the UK.
Seven-year-old spaniel PD Jasper, who was rescued as a stray before becoming Cleveland Police's first Victim Detection Dog, has been named winner of the Beyond Duty Award.
Together with his handler, PC Liam Sewell, Jasper helped find the bodies of six missing people during his career, bringing closure to their devastated families.
The pair's dedication was highlighted in April 2024 when they went out on their day off to walk the perimeter of an area they were due to search for neighbouring North Yorkshire Police.
There, Jasper located the body of 20-year-old Annie Dryden, who had been missing from her Middlesbrough home for more than three months.
Jasper's remarkable career has earned him one of the top honours at this year's awards.
Police dog faced armed suspect
The Outstanding Bravery Award goes to Surrey Police German Shepherd PD Frankie, who helped safely detain a man wielding a knife following a suspected stabbing.
Frankie was just six months into his career when he and handler PC Eddie Cabrera were called to an incident in Leatherhead in February 2026.
The pair were confronted with a tense stand-off at a petrol station forecourt after the suspect fled the scene.
The two-year-old general purpose dog and PC Cabrera were praised for their teamwork, courage and dedication to public safety in challenging circumstances.
According to his handler, Frankie was bred by police and "loves to work".
"He just wants to be a police dog," Eddie said.
From unwanted stray to crimefighting star
Four-year-old PD Boss also began life as a stray, but went on to forge an impressive career with Kent Police.
Rescued by a dog warden in Norfolk, Boss was initially transferred to the police as a spare dog before forming a strong bond with rookie handler Daniel Carter.
Together they became a formidable crimefighting team, assisting with more than 100 arrests in just three years.
Boss secured seven bites, qualified as a firearms support dog and received three policing awards during his career.
He also helped trace a high-risk vulnerable man who had threatened to harm himself.
And his commitment to the job did not stop when he was off duty.
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While out walking near Daniel's home, Boss helped detain a drink-driver.
The German Shepherd was forced to retire earlier this year because of arthritis and is now settling into retirement in South Wales with Daniel's parents.
Boss and Daniel have been named winners of the Crimefighting Duo Award.
£20,000 fight to get retired police dog back on his paws
For retired West Midlands Police dog Captain, his battle continued long after he hung up his harness.
The German Shepherd served with West Midlands Police for three years, during which he received a National Police Chiefs' Council Award and helped detain two men during a large public disorder incident, despite being violently kicked in the ribs.
Captain was forced into early retirement in 2021 after rupturing his cruciate ligament and has suffered ongoing health problems as a result of his service.
He was adopted by his former handler, Marcus Cottrell, and has since undergone more than £20,000 worth of treatment, including specialist spinal surgery.
The treatment was funded by the Thin Blue Paw Foundation.
Captain's determination to get back on his paws following extensive therapy and surgery has earned him the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Celebrating Britain's police dogs
The Thin Blue Paw Foundation, which supports, protects and celebrates working and retired police dogs, will present the awards to the dogs and their handlers at a special ceremony at the Kennel Club in London on Tuesday, September 29.
Founder Kieran Stanbridge said this year's nominations had been "inspirational and astounding".
"It was incredibly difficult to choose our winners," he said.
"But Jasper, Frankie, Boss and Captain's stories really showed the very best of dedication, skill, instinct, courage and resilience.
"At the Thin Blue Paw Foundation we're passionate about supporting and rehabilitating retired police dogs as well as protecting and celebrating working police dogs, and that includes highlighting the amazing work they do to fight crime and keep us all safe."
The awards are sponsored by Animal Friends Pet Insurance.
Animal Friends CEO Richard Mills said: "Every day, police dogs across the UK put their paws on the line to protect our communities, and it is a true privilege to help shine a spotlight on their extraordinary bravery and unwavering loyalty."
He added that Animal Friends shared the foundation's passion for "celebrating and supporting these canine crime-fighters".
