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Dog saved from 'horrific' farm to fight crime with Gloucestershire Police

Gloucestershire Constabulary Chief Constable Rod Hansen, PD Bonnie and Rich HuntGloucestershire Constabulary
Bonnie has completed her training and will soon start helping police officers with drug searches and warrants

A "loving and friendly" Labrador that was found in "horrific" conditions and neglected as a puppy is helping police to fight crime.

When she was six-months-old, Bonnie was rescued from a farm in Wales in 2021.

She was found underweight, suffering from skin issues and living in unhygienic and hazardous conditions.

She has since made a "happy" transformation after being rehomed with Gloucestershire Constabulary and has passed her training to be a search dog.

RSPCA Bonnie at the puppy farmRSPCA
Bonnie was found neglected and underweight when she was a puppy

During the operation to rescue Bonnie, South Wales Police saved 21 dogs from the puppy farm.

Some of those dogs were rehomed with RSPCA's West Hatch Animal Centre, in Somerset.

Its staff said they saw Bonnie had potential as a working dog for the police.

She started training last year with dog handler PC Claire Todd and her veteran police dog PD Stella the Staffie.

Bonnie completed her training in proactive cash, drugs and firearms searching in December.

Claire Todd Bonnie and StellaClaire Todd
Bonnie trained with the police force alongside PD Stella

RSPCA Inspector Gemma Cooper, who rescued Bonnie and investigated her case, said she was "horrified" by the state of the animals' health and their living environments.

"When bringing the dogs out of the first two pens none of them knew how to walk on a lead and they were all terrified of the outside world," she said.

It was clear the dogs had spent the majority of their time locked up in the pens "away from life", she said.

Claire Todd Bonnie trainingClaire Todd
Bonnie initially trained to work with the fire service but was "scared of dark places"

PD Bonnie's handler PC Rich Hunt said Bonnie had initially joined the fire service as a recovery dog, but failed their tests because she "didn't like going into dark, confined areas".

"It doesn't surprise me knowing where she had been rescued from," he said.

PD Bonnie now lives and works with PC Hunt and his general purpose dog, German Shepherd PD Django, "whom she loves".

"Bonnie is so loving and friendly, it's amazing when you think about the awful start she had.

"She's great at her job because she loves a tennis ball and her drive for play means she has a great drive for work. It's a big, fun game to her.

"Soon we'll be busy doing drug searches and warrants," he added.

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