Police dogs are an integral part of policing across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, providing an invaluable service to reduce crime and increase community safety.
Police dogs may retire at a young age due to illness or injury which may have been sustained as part of their duty. Police dogs retiring from service do not receive any financial support and adopters are often unable to source insurance for ongoing veterinary bills. The fund will aim to assist in the ongoing treatment with the hope of taking away any financial pressures.
Earlier this year Mr Ellis took part in the ice bucket challenge with half of all donations going to the Retired Police Dog Fund and the other half toward motor neurone disease.
Mr Ellis said: “Police dogs provide an invaluable service working alongside officers to ensure the public are kept safe.
“The Staffordshire Retired Police Dog charity does such a great job in looking after these dogs after they retire and I wanted to give the dogs something back for their service.”
Hayley Birkin, Chairperson for the fund, said: “The Staffordshire Retired Police Dog Fund was established a year ago to raise funds and awareness of the retired Staffordshire police dogs and ensure the dogs enjoy a long and healthy retirement.
“This year we have raised £4,000 and assisted in the veterinary costs of retired dogs. The fund has received £2,500 from the Office of the Police
and Crime Commissioner which will be used to offer assistance in the form of a pension to any retired Staffordshire police dog that joins our fund.”
Anyone interested in donating can email retiredstaffspolicedogs@gmail.com or visit www.staffsretiredpolicedogs.org
