All photos by Paul Nicholls.
A cocker spaniel who had to be rescued after being abused by his owner is now training to become a police dog.
Marshall had been hung up by his lead and then strangled and hit while he was dangling, before being rescued by the RSPCA in Torquay.
He is now one of four rescues, alongside cocker spaniel Rolo, labrador Bonnie, and springer spaniel Ollie, training to become search dogs for Gloucestershire Police.
They all took part in a training session at the Royal Agricultural University’s (RAU) campus in Cirencester as part of an initial six-week Proactive Drugs, Cash and Firearms course.
The dogs, all of whom are under two years of age, were trained to find seven different drugs, paper money (pounds sterling and euros), and firearms, which officers hid in various places around the campus.
They have also undergone training at other locations and public venues around the county, as well as weekly sessions at the RAU, and their course will finish on Wednesday, December 15. The dogs are all expected to pass with flying colours and will hopefully be licensed as Police search dogs
All the dogs live at home with their handlers. Marshall’s handler PC Adey Cole said: “Marshall wasn’t even a year old when he was rescued but, amazingly, he is not wary of people despite what he has been through. He is now 16 months old and is such a sweet dog – he loves affection but really loves to work.
“He was born to search and he is proving to be really good at it but he is still just a typical crazy cocker spaniel who does everything at 100 miles an hour! We are so pleased to have been able to give all these dogs a second chance.”
Bonnie, who was also less than a year old when she was rescued from a shipping container at a puppy farm in Wales, was skin and bone and covered in wounds when she was found. Both Ollie and Rolo had been handed in to animal shelters after being given up by their owners who couldn’t cope with them.
Since taking on the dogs, Gloucestershire Police has signed up to the Dogs Trust Animal Welfare Scheme which means that all rehomed dogs are checked up on regularly by a team of external inspectors.
Photos courtesy of Paul Nicholls Photography
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