A hero police dog, who was stabbed in the chest while chasing down a gun-toting teen, is making a miraculous recovery after his ordeal.
German Shepherd Finn and his handler, PC David Wardell, had been tracking a 16-year-old wanted after a taxi firm reported that a driver was being robbed at gunpoint.
The cop’s seven-year-old canine colleague refused to let go of the suspect despite his severe injuries – stab wounds to both his head and chest – while David suffered an injury to his hand.
Brave Finn was rushed to vets for initial treatment, after the attack on October 4th, before being transferred to Davies’ Veterinary Specialists in Higham Gobion in Hertfordshire.
David, who has had Finn since he was a nine month old pup, said: “He’s a lot brighter than he was and he’s starting to get cheeky, so he’s starting to get back to his old self.
“Finn is an amazing partner. I can’t think of anyone or any animal I’d rather work with.
“His enthusiasm every day is second to none and it does rub off on you – he’s always raring to go.
“It’s been really overwhelming for me, my family and our colleagues, so I would like to thank the public for all their love and support for Finn.”
Finn, who is from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire (BCH) Dog Unit, is currently resting at home and Dave is building his canine partner’s fitness with daily exercise.
Since the attack, a campaign and a petition has launched calling for police dogs and horses to be given the same protection as officers in the UK – with the moniker ‘Finn’s law’, similar to the US Federal Law Enforcement Animal Protection.
The petition, created by David Burstow, has already hit nearly 70,000 signatures.
The much-loved pooch is being monitored by Rob Adams, the soft tissue surgeon who operated on him at Davies’ Veterinary Specialists.
Rob said: “The Davies team are honoured to have saved Finn and we are continuing to monitor his progress.
“It’s fantastic to see him returning to his normal self and we look forward to seeing him for his stitch removal very soon.”
