New home wanted for injured Essex Police dog

A police dog has had her career cut short after she was hit by a car and had to have a leg amputated.

PD Baloo was struck when she attended a theft of a motor vehicle incident with her handler PC Ross Ashcroft in October.

The Belgian Malinois was left with a broken pelvis and a badly broken leg which required emergency surgery.

Essex Police is looking for a new home for the two-year-old dog, who has been retired from duty.

An investigation into how the dog came to be injured is ongoing, the force said.

Police said PC Ashcroft's role meant he could not keep Baloo.

He said: "She has been a brilliant dog both at work and at home.

"As confident as she was at work, she was an absolute softie when taken out of work who wanted nothing more than attention and cuddles.

"She was a very loyal protective dog and loved life as a police dog."

A police spokesman said Baloo had "made a big difference" since starting service with the force in March.

The dog had success with tracking suspects for considerable distances and "sniffed her way to find discarded weapons including large knives", the force said.