| Charities like Thin Blue Paw are calling for pensions for retired service dogs to help cover rising veterinary costs. Adopters like Laura Meller, who has cared for multiple ex-police dogs, express concern that the high cost of care and lack of financial support may discourage future adoptions potentially leading to ethical issues like euthanasia for older dogs. shares examples such as Marco, who once saved a man’s life during duty, and Audi, a dog who was stabbed in the head while protecting his handler and now requires expensive medical care in retirement. Handlers and adopters stress that while these dogs risk their lives to protect humans, they receive no official financial support after retirement, leaving the burden entirely on adopters. The Thin Blue Paw charity estimates that caring for a retired police dog costs about £3,000 more per year than a regular pet, due to medical treatments, therapy, and insurance difficulties. Although Nottinghamshire Police began offering pensions for retired dogs in 2013, the Home Office currently has no plans to implement this nationwide leaving most retired service dogs reliant on charity aid and the generosity of adopters. Source: Haynes, C. (2025, June 5). “My retired hero police dog deserves a pension.” https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr7z907rmggo |