Family join campaign for pensions for police dogs

The owners of a retired police dog are supporting a national campaign for the animals to be given pensions by the government.

Heidi Collins and her husband, a Ministry of Defence Police dog handler, adopted German Shepherd Donna when she retired suddenly at the age of five on medical grounds.

Donna, now seven, has a number of health conditions and the family say it is unfair that animals face being put down if their adoptive families cannot afford treatment.

Charity the Thin Blue Paw Foundation launched a petition on Thursday calling for ex-service dogs to receive a pension, but the Home Office says there are currently no plans to change the retirement process for service animals.