Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Katie Weston

Puppy ruthlessly abandoned on roadside in metal cage becomes a police sniffer dog

A puppy abandoned on the roadside in a cage at four months old has joined the police as a trained sniffer dog.

Chester the cocker spaniel was rescued by the RSPCA after he was found by a member of the public dumped in a metal crate with six other puppies on a grass verge in January.

The four cocker spaniels and two terrier crossbreed puppies were thought to have been deserted after having passed the age when they are most marketable.

RSPCA inspector Clive Hopwood said: "It's very possible these puppies were abandoned by a breeder. We believe these puppies may have failed to sell so they were abandoned having passed their 'cute' stage when they're most marketable and most valuable."

It quickly became apparent that Chester had "huge energy levels", making it difficult for the RSPCA to rehome him, until volunteer fosterers noticed he had a real drive for "searching and sniffing things out".

The four cocker spaniels and two terrier crossbreed puppies (Chester seen third from left) were found on a grass verge (PA)

Sarah Piggott, who works for the RSPCA and fostered Chester, said: "No amount of walking or enrichment seemed to exhaust him.

"I realised he had a real drive for searching and sniffing things out when he'd easily find other dogs ' lost tennis balls on walks and kept bringing them to me."

Tara Luxford, who adopted Chester's brother, Bertie, said Chester was "always destined" to join the police to become a sniffer dog.

"I remember one day we were walking them together and Bertie had lost his new toy in a bush and we couldn't reach it," Ms Luxford said.

"We told Chester to 'find it' and he went straight into the bush and got it back for Bertie. He was always destined to be a sniffer dog."

PC Kim Hackett with one-year-old PD Chester (PA)
It quickly became apparent that Chester had "huge energy levels" (PA)

In March, Chester, who was abandoned by the roadside in Hersden, near Canterbury, was taken in by Surrey Police and began the process of training to become a sniffer dog with a special foster family.

Ms Piggott said she was "so proud" of her former foster puppy and added she is "thrilled" he has finally been rehomed.

"Chester has done really well and caught up to the other puppies who were bred to be sniffer dogs and started their training before him," Ms Piggott said.

"I'm so proud of him and I'm thrilled that he's found a home where he can do what he loves every day while being well looked after."

After completing a six-week intensive training course, PD Chester became a licensed police sniffer dog in October and he was celebrated at a ceremony at Surrey Police HQ.

The "amazing" pup, now aged one, has now been deployed across Surrey and Sussex to support the police alongside his handler PC Kim Hackett.

Surrey Police operational and dog school manager Geoff Wiltshire said: "Chester has been amazing since he arrived with us.

"He has gone from strength to strength and has done really well to pass his digital detection course.

"Our standards are very high and he has proven himself to have all the necessary qualities to succeed in this important role.

"His handler, Kim, has a great bond with him and we look forward to seeing some operational results from this new team."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.