The Thin Blue Paw Foundation, a charity dedicated to supporting UK police dogs, has introduced a new way for animal lovers to pay tribute to service animals.
The ‘Remembrance Paw’ is a new symbol launched to honour service animals, both past and present, and will be available for purchase ahead of Remembrance Day.
Tribute to Service Animals
The Thin Blue Paw Foundation protects, rehabilitates, and celebrates both active and retired police dogs across the UK. In their latest effort to recognise the contributions of service animals, the charity has launched the ‘Remembrance Paw’, which individuals can buy for themselves or their pets to honour these animals.
Kieran Stanbridge, trustee of the Thin Blue Paw Foundation, explained the inspiration behind the new tribute: “Millions of animals ran, galloped, and flew into World Wars One and Two, and many more have fought in conflict or served their country or community since. We felt it was time there was a special symbol to pay tribute to them.”
The Remembrance Paw offers an opportunity for the public to acknowledge the sacrifices made by service animals. Stanbridge added, “The poppy has become a recognisable symbol around the world, and we wanted to launch something that would pay tribute to the animals who have also made the ultimate sacrifice.”
Supporting Police Dogs in the UK
Proceeds from the sale of the Remembrance Paw will go towards supporting The Thin Blue Paw Foundation’s ongoing work with service dogs. The charity plays a key role in advocating for better protections for working dogs and improving their welfare. Its work includes promoting laws like Finn’s Law, which increases legal protections for police dogs, and calling for the use of personal protective equipment for working dogs.
The foundation also works to provide first aid training to police dog units across the UK, helping to ensure that these valuable animals receive the care they need in the line of duty.
Care for Retired Police Dogs
One of the primary goals of the Thin Blue Paw Foundation is to offer support to retired police dogs. After serving their communities, many of these dogs retire with ongoing health problems, but without continued support from the police forces they once worked for. The foundation steps in to provide the necessary veterinary care for these dogs in their retirement, ensuring they receive the attention and treatment they need.
The Remembrance Paw is available as a keyring or collar tag and can be purchased online through the foundation’s shop at www.thinbluepaw.org.uk/shop.
