Puppy discovered in van gets second chance with police

An adorable sprocker spaniel rescued from appalling conditions has been given a second chance as a police dog.

Bella was just 20 weeks old when she was found in the back of a van in Ashford in May last year.

RSPCA officers found the young pup boarded up along with two other dogs on a site that housed a number of other animals.

The charity’s Kent chief inspector Nick Wheelhouse said: “We were called to an address by police and discovered three dogs living in the back of a van in completely inappropriate conditions.

“They were removed from the site, along with a number of other dogs, and came into RSPCA care.

“When we were able to begin searching for new homes for them I was visiting our centre with the local dog legislation officer and introduced him to Bella.

“She rushed straight up to him

and started playing with the ball he was throwing.

“He turned to me and said she’d make a great police search dog. She was busy, bouncy and full of energy so we knew we might struggle to find her a home that would be active enough to keep up with her, so a working role seemed the perfect fit!”

Bella went to live with a volunteer puppy walker in August, working with Kent Police’s dog section.

She qualified as a forensic

recovery dog last month, alongside her handler PC Alan Smith.

Chief Inspector Craig West, of Kent Police’s dog section, said: “She is settling in very well and I have no doubt she will continue to make a valuable contribution to the force’s work in the months and years to come.

“Dogs like Bella who are trained to detect blood use their extraordinary sense of smell to track down evidence at scenes of crime, or to help locate people who may be injured and in need of our assistance.”

Bella the sprocker spaniel passed her police training last month; right, she was rescued from the back of a van