According to his owner, a memorial to a police dog that saved his handlerās life will be erected in a park in his home county.
In 2016, while defending his handler, PC Dave Wardell, German shepherd Finn, commonly known as Police Dog (PD) Finn, was nearly killed when he confronted an armed suspect in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.
Despite being stabbed, PC Wardell, who is now retired, insisted that he could have suffered more serious injuries if Finn hadnāt stepped in.
Following his recovery and a brief period of employment, Finn passed away in 2023 at the age of 14. Following a fundraising effort, preparations are under underway for a permanent statue to honor the dog.
Before the incident almost tore them apart, the two had been inseparable for eight years.PC Wardell, who was then with the Hertfordshire Constabulary, and his German shepherd, Finn, were searching for a suspected armed robber who had threatened a cab driver with a gun in the early hours of October 5, 2016.Finn was critically hurt in the encounter that followed the chase, and PC Wardell was stabbed.Finn and PC Wardell both healed, and the attacker was imprisoned, but the incident affected them both.Since his own retirement, Mr. Wardell has advocated for greater recognition of all service animals in addition to a memorial to the dog that saved his life and all other service animals.In 2019, a new rule known as āFinnās Lawā went into effect, making it more difficult for people who hurt service animals to argue that they were defending themselves.Additionally, Mr. Wardellās memorial campaign raised roughly Ā£40,000, so preparations are now underway to honor Finn and others like him.
Finn suffered severe injuries while defending his handler from a young person brandishing a knife.āYouāll know if youāve had a special bond with a dogāor any animal,ā Mr. Wardell remarked.Regarding the new memorial, he remarked, āIf it werenāt for him, I wouldnāt be here today, talking to you.āāThis, along with Finnās Law, is his legacy.āMr. Wardell claimed to have finally located the ideal sculptor to carry on Finnās legacy, but he said it was ānot appropriateā to reveal the artistās identity or the precise location just yet.He remarked, āThis is very important and heartfelt, and it will endure well beyond my years.āPeople will have the chance to visit, pay their respects, and listen to Finnās tale.
āIt will allow future generations to learn more about his legacy and other police dogs that are so important to this nation.ā
