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A police dog who retired to live with the family who cared for her as a puppy went on to help heal a heart broken by grief.
Springer spaniel Red came to live with the Sexton family at seven-weeks-old, in 2020, before she started her training with the police.
Elizabeth, 78, said: “Red lived with my daughter as they were her puppy walkers; a family who took her in and brought her up before she started her formal training.
“She then went to start her training with the police at around 10-months-old in 2021.”
PD Red, now aged five, served as an explosives detection dog with Bedfordshire Police, serving her whole career at Luton Airport.
Unfortunately, her career came to an early end when she was injured in an accident, in September 2024, fracturing her elbow. She had two operations to try to repair the bones in her elbow but had to retire a few months later.
Elizabeth, from Bracknell, Berkshire, added: “There was never any doubt that she’d come back to us when we found out what had happened.
“My husband, John, didn’t hesitate to offer her a home for the rest of her life.
“He adored her and spent many hours sitting with her and taking her on little walks as she slowly recovered and regained her strength.”
Tragically, John had just a few months with Red, and he died suddenly in May 2025, at the age of 85, leaving the whole family heartbroken.
Elizabeth added: “Red has been an absolute blessing and has brought me a lot of comfort and company since losing John. We believe she came back to us for a good reason.
“We are very happy to have had the opportunity to rehome her and are able to keep in touch with her lovely handler who misses her a great deal. Red is loved by everyone who has been part of her life and always will be.”
The family stays in touch with RPD Red’s former handler and they registered the veteran with the Thin Blue Paw Foundation; a charity that supports retired police dogs when they finish their careers.
Chairman Kieran Stanbridge said: “Red gave four years of her life to help the police keep staff and passengers at Luton Airport safe. It’s a shame her career ended early and that she suffered such a catastrophic injury.
“It’s so lovely that she was reunited with the Sextons – who she already had a bond with – to enjoy her retirement years, but so sad that she got to spend such a short amount of time with John, who clearly thought the world of her.
“Dogs are so intuitive and emotionally intelligent, so for her to step in and bring comfort to Elizabeth and the rest of the family at such a difficult time is really heartwarming.
“We’re incredibly proud that we can now be there for Red and Elizabeth, through her retirement, to ensure that she always has access to the best in veterinary care and treatment, should she ever need it.”
Police dogs receive no financial support or pension when they leave service and, sadly, they can require more veterinary treatment and care than pet dogs due to injuries and conditions they’ve developed as a result of their strenuous careers.
The Thin Blue Paw Foundation was set up in 2020 to help owners access the best treatments and therapies for these canine heroes so they can enjoy the best quality of life in their retirements.
The charity supports more than 150 dogs across the UK, and has spent more than £400,000 providing life-saving treatment, expert veterinary care, and rehabilitative care to dogs in their times of need.
Elizabeth added: “Vet bills are a worry for so many pet owners but the foundation takes a lot of this worry away.
“The foundation is an absolute lifeline to these dogs and their mums and dads. It gives them a chance at having any treatment they need without the worry for their owners as to how it would have been paid for.
“We knew Red may have to have further treatment and that was a risk we felt we had to take.
“Red is doing really well and gets cheekier as the days go by, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.
“She is such a loving and clever girl that she deserves to have whatever care she needs.”
You can help the Thin Blue Paw Foundation support more dogs like RPD Red by donating online at https://donate.thinbluepaw.org.uk/.
The Thin Blue Paw Foundation is also campaigning for government-funded pensions for police dogs. To find out more, visit www.thinbluepaw.org.uk/pensions-for-police-dogs.
