Membership to the Thin Blue Paw Foundation is open to all retired police dogs who have served for a minimum of 18 months operationally from date of initial licence, with one of the 43 home office police forces, or alternatively Police Scotland, Police Service of Northern Ireland, British Transport Police, Civil Nuclear Constabulary, Ministry of Defence Police, or the Royal Air Force Police.
Retired police dogs must reside in the United Kingdom upon retirement to be eligible for membership with the foundation, except for retired Royal Air Force or Ministry of Defence police dogs, which may live abroad if their handler is deployed overseas.
Retired police dogs who have been medically retired and therefore unable to complete a minimum of 18 months operational service from date of initial licence, are eligible for membership. In such circumstances the foundation requires a veterinary report which outlines the medical diagnosis and confirmation of medical retirement.
A monthly membership fee of £25 per retired police dog is a condition of membership. Additional retired police dogs who are owned by the same individual are charged at £15 per retired police dog, as part of our multi-dog household membership discount.
The foundation operates a grace period of two months for unpaid or defaulted membership fees, with the retired police dog’s membership becoming inactive until such arrears are paid for in full. During the grace period, members are unable to access membership benefits until such arrears are cleared.
The foundation reserves the right to cancel the membership of a retired police dog if unpaid or defaulted membership fees exceed two months. If such arrears are cleared, the foundation can reinstate the retired police dog’s membership in full.
Owners of retired police dogs are required to provide the foundation with three months’ notice to terminate their retired police dog’s membership. The foundation reserves the right to request payment of any outstanding membership fees.
No cancellation notice is required in the sad event of the passing of the retired police dog, as their membership will cease upon their death. It is the responsibility of the owner to inform the foundation of their retired police dog’s death, and to cancel any direct debits in relation to their membership fee, directly with their bank or building society.
The foundation’s board of trustees reserve the right to waiver or reduce the monthly membership fee for a retired police dog in extenuating circumstances.
Membership to the foundation is not an insurance policy, and all applications for financial support are awarded based on available funds and in line with the foundation's financial assistance terms and conditions, which can be viewed here.
Your retired police dog is not required to have an insurance policy to become a member of the Thin Blue Paw Foundation. However, should you wish to explore insurance available for your retired police dog, our partners Animal Friends Pet Insurance do offer a policy for retired police dogs. Full information on the insurance policies available to your retired police dog can be found on their website, alternatively, other pet insurance providers may be available.
As a member of the foundation your retired police dog will be given access to exclusive membership discounts and opportunities which are for the exclusive and sole use of the registered retired police dog. Any unauthorised use of membership benefits for pet dogs or sharing of membership benefits to those not registered with the foundation, will result in the termination of your retired police dog’s membership to the foundation.
Owners of retired police dogs who are in receipt of means tested state benefits are eligible for a discounted retired police dog monthly membership fee. The foundation will require proof of such benefits in order to apply the discounted monthly membership fee, and owners are required to inform the foundation at the earliest opportunity if there are changes to their circumstances which would make them ineligible to receive this dispensation.
Membership fees will be reviewed on an annual basis in November, with any changes being implemented from the following 1st of January.
The foundation’s board of trustees reserve the right to reject applications for membership to the foundation without providing reason or rationale of their decision.
The foundation’s board of trustees reserve the right to cancel the membership of a retired police dog at any time, without providing reason or rationale of their decision, and without notice.
