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Police dog awards open for nominations
The charity has begun its search for the UK's bravest canine police.

Thin Blue Paw Awards celebrate serving and retired police dogs. 

Nominations have opened for the Thin Blue Paw Awards, celebrating the lives of working and retired police dogs.

Run by the Thin Blue Paw Foundation, which provides support for serving and retired police dogs across the UK, the awards highlight the dogs' work and achievements, and anyone who knows an inspiration police dog is encouraged to submit their story for consideration.

Kieran Stanbridge, Thin Blue Paw trustee and event organiser, commented: “Our inaugural awards last year were a huge success and we received more than 100 nominations for incredible dogs.

“It was an honour to meet the winners and hear their inspiring stories of heroism and dedication and we can’t wait to see this year’s nominations although we know it’ll be very difficult to choose just five winners again.”

The award categories are:

  • Outstanding Bravery – for a serving police dog who has shown extraordinary bravery in the line of duty.
  • Lifesaver – to celebrate a serving police dog whose work was invaluable in a life-threatening incident, for example locating a vulnerable missing person.
  • Crime Fighting Duo – for a serving police dog and handler team who are constantly achieving outstanding operational results.
  • Rising Star – to celebrate the achievements of a newly licensed serving police dog.
  • Lifetime Achievement – to celebrate a retired police dog who made an exceptional difference during their service.


Encourage people to submit a nomination, Kieran said: “If you know a dog handler or police dog who has shown outstanding bravery, has committed their life to fighting crime and keeping the public safe, or has gone the extra mile in the line of duty, please nominate them today!”

Nominations can be made on the Thin Blue Paw website, and will be open until 1 July 2022. The winners, selected by a panel of judges, will receive their awards at a special ceremony in September, with plenty of canine and human guests invited.

 

Image (C) Thin Blue Paw

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.