Stabbed police dog Finn completes final shift as he retires

German Shepherd police pooch Finn made headlines in October after being injured alongside handler PC Dave Wardell when they chasing a suspect in Stevenage.

Finn won the hearts of the nation after suffering the serious injuries in the call of duty.

He was rushed to Davies’ Veterinary Specialists in Higham Gobion, where he underwent a life-saving operation.

After making a remarkable recovery, Finn returned to work with Dave in late December. On his first shift back he demonstrated he was back to top form and successfully tracked a suspect in Borehamwood.

Finn even won three trophies in his final Police Dog Trials on Tuesday and Wednesday.

But the time has come now for Finn to step down from his duties from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire (BCH) Dog Unit.

The eight-year-old will now live at home PC Wardell and his family after completing his final shift on Friday.

Dave, who has had Finn since he was a nine-month-old puppy, said: “Working with Finn has been an incredible and, more recently, emotional journey.

“Finn genuinely loved to work as a police dog and it has been an absolute pleasure to work with him. His desire to perform his duty to the best of his ability is second to none and I’ll miss patrolling the streets with him.

“I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who has supported me and Finn, particularly through recent months. The support from around the country and further afield has been overwhelming.

“Although I am sure he will miss the action, the time has come for him to hang up the lead.

“He has certainly earned a long and healthy retirement and I am happy to say he will be spending this with me and my family – after all, he is part of the family!”

Dave is currently training a new police dog to work alongside.

Inspector Iain Clark, who leads the BCH Dog Unit, said: “Finn and Dave have had a great career together with many memorable moments.

“It is testament to Finn’s character that despite all he has been through, he was still able to not only compete in the regional trials, but also win three trophies.

“The bond between dog and handler is unique, particularly when they have been through so much. I am very grateful for all Finn’s work and he is an absolute credit to Dave.”