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MEET
RPD Ivan
Belgian Malinois
Northumbria Police
General Purpose
Broken tooth
£1,200
MEET RETIRED POLICE DOG IVAN
What are some of the highlights of Ivan’s career?
“Ivan was very successful in his career, featuring in the force’s social media on many occasions, as well as in local newspapers. He found people hiding in the most unlikely places, including under a computer desk, in some woods, and even in a wheelie bin! He didn’t just find criminals, he also found vintage golf clubs which had been stolen and dumped in nearby woods.”
What does retirement look like for Ivan?
“Ivan seems to be very content with his retirement, although we make sure to keep him active with plenty of exercise and interesting things to do. He very much enjoys doing Canicross, both socially with his dog friends and in race events, but he also seems quite content with spending some days being a shop dog and giving a big welcome to potential customers. He is partial to the occasional trip to the pub, as long as we remember to bring the treat bag!”
What’s Ivan like as a pet?
“Despite his size and appearance, he’s really a big softie and likes nothing better than a big cuddle or falling asleep on your lap. He’s a very special dog, and we feel very lucky to have him.”
What’s Ivan’s health like?
“We discovered from Ivan’s police medical records that he’s had both elbows pinned at some point, with one later removed due to infection. He has also suffered a broken canine tooth at some point earlier in his life.”
HOW WE HELPED RETIRED POLICE DOG IVAN IN RETIREMENT
RPD Ivan served with Northumbria Police as a general purpose dog for three years until his career was cut short when he suffered a hock injury while on duty.
He was a very successful police dog who made headlines in the local press for his achievements, as well as when he was hit in the face with a beer bottle while working crowd control during the riots.
He was taken in by a local dog boarding kennels while he searched for a new home and a friend suggested Paul Edwin and his family who started going to meet him. They adopted him in December 2021.
Paul said: “His old injury seems to have healed well but, unfortunately, other problems have arisen due to his previous hard working life.
“We’re very glad that the person who’d been caring for Ivan during his rehabilitation told us about the Thin Blue Paw.”
During a regular check-up in March 2024, vets noticed Ivan had a broken canine tooth. They were concerned it could cause an infection or abscess so wanted to remove it.
We covered the cost of the treatment, much to Paul’s relief.
“We’re very grateful to the Thin Blue Paw for their support with the few issues that he’s had since retiring.”
Paul, Ivan’s owner
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- Sponsorship certificate
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- A cuddly German Shepherd teddy
- Quarterly email updates on your sponsor dog
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