Police dog honoured for saving 38 LIVES
SHE has enjoyed a long and distinguished career at the front line of policing.
Now a heroic Scottish police dog has been recognised for her bravery after being credited with saving 38 lives over eight years.
German Shepherd Luna won the Lifesaver award for successfully finding a number of missing people for Police Scotland.
On one occasion in 2015, the dog sniffed out a bitten-off fingertip so doctors could re-attach it to the victim. Four years later, Luna tracked down a missing person suffering from hypothermia in a bush. The man has since thanked Luna for saving his life.
Luna was partnered with PC Linda McBride at 12 weeks old then trained for the force in 2014. The pair were based at Larbert, Stirlingshire, and spent nearly eight years working around Stirling. PC McBride, 55, said: ‘Luna has gained respect from dog handlers, colleagues and
‘She knows when people need her help’
management over the years due to her incredible natural ability to locate people quickly – many would have perished due to their injuries without her help.
‘She has a wonderful temperament, particularly when dealing with vulnerable and high-risk people; she seems to know they need her help and shows such compassion.
‘She still has the ability to switch when dealing with a dangerous criminal or anyone who would show violence towards her or me.’
Ten-year-old Luna was honoured at the Thin Blue Paw Awards ceremony on Thursday – an event dedicated to service dogs. After spending most of life in the service, Luna retired in June and was taken on holiday for the first time to enjoy playing and swimming at the beach.