TV star dog handler has pets confiscated

A POLICE dog handler who appeared on Britain’s Got Talent has had his pets taken away over “illicit breeding”.

Pc David Wardell, who appeared on the show with his Alsatian Finn, is under investigation for disciplinary violations. The pair reached the final of the contest in 2019 with their mind-reading act and a short video of how the dog saved his life.

Hertfordshire police said: “We can confirm that Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Professional Standards Department is currently investigating an officer’s conduct with regards to police dog welfare issues. The officer is not suspended but is on restricted duties.”

The announcement is reportedly in relation to claims that one of the dogs in the officer’s care was used for breeding, though it is not clear which one. Mail on Sunday said that as a result a springer spaniel named Pearl and another Alsatian have been taken away.

Police dog handlers spend years of their life building trust with their animals, with many adopting them as pets.

Police Scotland calls it “a vocation for life and a partnership between dog and handler”.