Ex-police dog recovering from spinal surgery

A retired police dog has had specialist surgery to reconstruct his spine after a charity said years of working had taken its toll on his body.

Captain, a German Shepherd, was forced to retired in 2022 after three years of working for West Midlands Police, after rupturing his cruciate ligament in 2021.

He later suffered significant spinal damage and the nine-year-old has now undergone major surgery to two discs that had degenerated and were putting pressure on his spinal cord.

The Thin Blue Paw Foundation, a charity supporting retired police dogs with vet treatment, has called on government to do more to support such dogs.

Although a fundraising appeal was launched in 2024 to pay for the treatment, vets determined Captain was not yet strong enough to undergo treatment, so the operation was delayed while he underwent therapy to strengthen him.

Captain was in theatre for four hours as the discs were repaired and some bone was removed.

He stayed in the vets for five days before he was discharged and has now begun a long recovery journey at home including strict crate rest, followed by some physiotherapy and hydrotherapy.

Captain's owner PC Marcus Cottrell also handled him during his police career and has been at his side through the treatment, including sleeping on the sofa to keep him company as he recovers.

The pair qualified in 2018 and won the police chief's certificate of achievement.

Cottrell, from Solihull, said: "Captain is fearsome but also extremely sociable.

"He detained countless criminals - including a suspect who'd stabbed two people - and used his nose to find people on the run, as well as weapons used in incidents.

"Captain is so special, he's my best mate and is always with me. He was my partner at work and now he's my partner in retirement."

Thin Blue Paw Foundation founder Kieran Stanbridge said: "For the last two years we've been supporting Captain as he had twice weekly hydrotherapy to improve his mobility and built up his strength, as well as daily medication to manage his pain.

"The foundation has funded all of his treatment to date, including diagnostic tests and consultations, two MRI scans, 198 hydrotherapy sessions and the pioneering surgery, at a total cost of around £20,000.

"Thankfully, the hydrotherapy helped prepare Captain and he had his surgery on Tuesday before returning home to recover."

Stanbridge added that police dogs led "a physically demanding life" and that "wear and tear from his career" had left its mark on Captain.

"We're proud to be there for dogs like Captain but we believe the government should be doing more to support these dogs when they retire," he added.

The Thin Blue Paw Foundation has launched a campaign calling on the government to fund pensions for police dogs, to help owners struggling to find insurance for their dogs to cover veterinary costs.

Cottrell said: "Without the continued support of the Thin Blue Paw Foundation I fear that, due to my own circumstances, Captain may have been put to sleep.

"I will be eternally grateful for the charity and its supporters for giving Captain a second chance at having a happy retirement."

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