This is Stella, the sweet Staffie whose distinguished career as a police sniffer dog has come to an end.
Little Stella’s life didn’t get off to the easiest start.
She was rescued by the RSPCA in Somerset in 2013 after she was found as a stray on the streets by one of their inspectors.
After she was taken in by the West Hatch Animal Centre, kennel supervisor Sue Dicks saw that she had a very specific set of skills.
Sue said: ‘She loved to play fetch and had a real talent for finding the ball.
‘I’d hide it in lots of places, and she’d always located it.’
Sue reached out to her contacts on the police force who’d taken rescue dogs into their employ before, and on 17 January 2014, PC Claire Todd collected Stella so she could join the Gloucestershire Constabulary’s training programme.
It was there that Stella learned how to find drugs – including heroin, cocaine and ecstasy – money, including Pounds and Euros, and guns and ammunition.
Just the day after she qualified, Stella was able to find £200 hidden in a drawer.
She was honoured in 2015 with a special prize at the Animal Hero Awards, where she was named Public Service Animal of the Year.
She’s also amassed an impressive 28,000 followers on Twitter and appeared at prestigious events like Crufts.
PD Stella, now 10, spent a total of eight years lending her very skilled nose to the police, working alongside PC Claire and her fellow police dog, a German shepherd called Quest.
PC Claire is now going to rehome Stella, so she’ll live out her twilight years as a well-loved pet.
‘Stella is still loving life and really enjoyed working, although she did start to slow down over her final six months,’ PC Claire said.
‘I think she’s ready to retire now, and it’s time for her to chill out on the sofa and be totally spoiled after giving so much of her life to the police and the public.
‘I’m so proud of her, she’s had an incredible career. Time has flown by since she became my police dog in 2014.
‘I’ll be sad not to have her by my side when I’m out working, but I’m so pleased that I’ll get to come home to her every day. She’s such a special dog, and she’s achieved so much in her life, particularly given her poor start.’
In between sofa naps and being spoilt, Stella has also been helping PC Claire train more new police dog recruits, including fellow RSPCA rescues such as RSPCA rescues PD Marshall and PD Bonnie, who both qualified earlier this year.
Before she officially retired on 17 September, PC Claire and Stella went to visit Sue in August.
Sue said: ‘It is great that the police took a chance on her – she isn’t your typical police dog but she gets the job done.
‘We’re so proud of everything she’s achieved and that she’s flown the flag for Staffies and really showed everyone how wonderful they can be.’
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