Rescued Puppy in East Suffolk Finds New Purpose as a Police Dog!

Officers discovered a puppy, PD Arnie (German Shepherd/Malinois cross), in unfavorable conditions during a raid. It underwent training to become a police dog involved in combating crime. The puppy was found by police during an operation in east Suffolk.

According to Chief Inspector Sarsfield Donohue, an officer from Suffolk Police, the dog exhibited good qualities, stating that he could see “real potential” in PD Arnie. The officer further mentioned that the dog underwent an evaluation and has since made significant progress.

Assigned to Bury St Edmunds, PD Arnie will be partnered with handler PC Nick Lofthouse. PD Boris, a black German Shepherd, also graduated alongside Arnie. Boris was one of the dogs generously donated to the Norfolk and Suffolk Police Dog Unit by a breeder.

PD Arnie was relinquished to the police force by his previous owner after being discovered in deplorable conditions, as reported by Suffolk Police. Despite experiencing a challenging early life, PD Arnie has developed into an exceptional dog and has displayed remarkable learning capabilities. Due to an illness, PD Arnie completed his training in half the usual time, successfully passing with outstanding performance.

PC Jim Wells, a dog instructor, commended PD Arnie’s exceptional tracking abilities, describing him as “massively intelligent.” Chief Inspector Donohue, who first encountered PD Arnie over a year ago at Lowestoft Police Station, expressed satisfaction with the dog’s progress and emphasized that Arnie’s original circumstances were bleak. Donohue expressed delight in PD Arnie’s transformation, expecting him to contribute to Norfolk and Suffolk greatly.

PD Boris, on the other hand, is characterized as a small dog with a strong personality and will be stationed at Downham Market alongside PC Jamie Ward.

Both dogs were honored with licensing certificates at a celebratory event held at Norfolk Showground on May 4. The unit currently possesses over 40 dogs prepared to fulfill various roles, including tracking suspects, locating missing individuals, and specializing in tasks related to narcotics and explosives.