Monday 28th July
A statue of retired police dog Finn has been unveiled in the town he called home; where he also worked.
The bronze statue was officially unveiled at a public ceremony in Layston Court Gardens, Buntingford, by the Thin Blue Paw Foundation on Sunday (27th July) – two years since his death.
German Shepherd Finn – also known as Fabulous Finn – died in his sleep on 28th July 2023 at his home in Cornwall at the age of 14.
He’d won over the hearts of millions across the UK – and further afield – with his incredible story and the campaign he led to introduce better protection for serving animals.
Finn was stabbed and suffered life-threatening injuries when he was protecting his handler, Hertfordshire Police officer Dave Wardell, during an incident in Stevenage in 2016.
He survived following life-saving surgery to treat wounds to his head and chest. His attacker, however, was charged only with criminal damage and Dave was horrified.
The duo embarked on a high-profile campaign, called Finn’s Law, calling for legal protection for service animals. The legislation was passed in 2019, as the Animal Welfare (Service Animals) Bill.
Thin Blue Paw Chairman Kieran Stanbridge said: “Finn was one of the most decorated police dogs in our history and not only served his community valiantly and loyally during his career, but put his life on the line to save Dave during a violent and dangerous incident.
“He went on to capture the hearts of the nation and worked tirelessly to shine a light on the bravery and dedication of police dogs, while also bringing about change to our laws to ensure these courageous animals have the legal protection they deserve whilst serving.
“We felt he needed to be remembered and honoured appropriately and we’re proud to have raised the funds to pay for this beautiful memorial in his memory. We also hope it will become a place of reflection and dedication for all police dogs, both past and present.”
Finn, who lived and worked in Hertfordshire, retired in 2017 to live with Dave and his family in Buntingford.
Finn also became the ambassador for the Thin Blue Paw Foundation when the foundation launched in 2020.
The Thin Blue Paw Foundation – which celebrates, protects, rehabilitates and supports serving and retired police dogs across the UK – launched a fundraising campaign after Finn’s death to pay for a statue of him. The public donated more than £40,000 in just 72 hours.
Finn died following a short illness and his owner, Dave, said he was ‘broken’ by his death.
Dave said: “Finn was by my side every single day for over a decade, first as my police partner and then as my best friend. I was completely lost when I had to say goodbye.
“It was incredibly humbling when I found out that the Foundation wanted to create a memorial in his honour and I was absolutely staggered by the response that the fundraiser had from the public. It goes to show how many people were touched by Finn’s story.”
The 80kg sculpture of Finn was created by specialist animal sculptor Suzie Marsh, and took 11 months to create, including the initial sculpting in clay and the bronze casting process.
She made the original sculpture in stoneware clay from which the foundry creates a wax casting in order to make the moulds for the molten bronze.
Suzie said: “I’m passionate about animals and the bonds we share with them and I’ve worked with many charities as a way of giving something back to them.
“I was delighted and honoured to be chosen for this project and feel the result is a fitting memorial to a well-loved, brave and special dog.”
Dave added: “I am amazed at how Suzie has managed to capture Finn’s kind, gentle face as well as the focus behind his eyes.
“I hope it’ll become a place where others can come to pay tribute not only to Finn but to the thousands of police dogs who have worked to keep their communities safe.”
Buntingford Town Mayor Duncan Wallace said: “The Town Council is privileged to have been chosen to site this wonderful legacy to Finn in his home town of Buntingford, reminding us all of his story and what he helped achieve for service dogs across our country.”
Issued by The Thin Blue Paw Foundation.
Thin Blue Paw Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales: 1190959.
About the Thin Blue Paw Foundation:
The Thin Blue Paw Foundation is a national dog welfare charity which rehabilitates, protects and celebrates both serving and retired police dogs. The Foundation was founded by a group of dog-lovers who are passionate about improving the health and welfare of police dogs across the UK.
Retired police dogs do not receive financial support from the force they served with, meaning the responsibility for their care and vet bills fall solely to their ex-handler or new owner. Due to the physical strain of their working lives, many face ongoing medical problems which can lead to substantial bills for veterinary treatment, medication and rehabilitative therapy. vet bills which can amount to thousands.
The Thin Blue Paw Foundation provides much needed support to unsung canine heroes and their owners to enable them to have a long and happy retirement. The charity has supported hundreds of dogs since it was founded in 2020, providing more than £380,000 in financial support to the families of retired service dogs.
Make a donation at: https://donate.thinbluepaw.org.uk.
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