Badger the spaniel who was found dump.ed in a bucket as puppy training as a police sniffer dog

The cocker copper! Badger the spaniel who was found dump.ed in a bucket is now on paw patrol after training as a police sniffer dog, writes moneysavingbasics.

Rescued Badger the black cocker spaniel trained by the police as a sniffer dog

Crime-fighting dog was dumped in a bucket as a puppy and saved by the RSPCA

Found with three other pups in Redhill, Surrey, in July 2019, aged six weeks

Starving, scared and sick, his future looked bleak when he was found dumped in a bucket as a puppy.

But Badger the cocker spaniel has grown up to become a ‘crime-fighting hero’ after being rescued by the RSPCA and trained by the police as a sniffer dog.

PC Steph Barrett, who works with Badger at Surrey and Sussex Police Dog Unit, said: ‘After a lot of love and training, he has regained trust in humans. He’s still got that cheeky side, but he’s obsessed with work. He makes me smile all day.’

Starving, scared and sick, his future looked bleak when he was found dumped in a bucket as a puppy.

But Badger the cocker spaniel has grown up to become a ‘crime-fighting hero’ after being rescued by the RSPCA and trained by the police as a sniffer dog.

PC Steph Barrett, who works with Badger at Surrey and Sussex Police Dog Unit, said: ‘After a lot of love and training, he has regained trust in humans. He’s still got that cheeky side, but he’s obsessed with work. He makes me smile all day.’

They were almost bald due to severe mange, had chronic eye and ear infections, and were extremely malnourished.

The puppies were later rehomed, but energetic Badger struggled in his new family and was returned to the RSPCA – who realised he was a good fit for the police.

Jo Douglas, who cared for Badger at the RSPCA, said: ‘It’s been incredible to see the transformation from frightened, poorly puppy to a brave and clever crime-fighting hero.’

After weeks of treatment, the puppies were rehomed to loving families. But Badger struggled in his new home and was returned to the centre.

Ms Douglas said: ‘He was always on the go and needed constant stimulation – he was just too much for his adopters so he came back to us. We kept him busy by hiding tennis balls around the centre and playing scent games with him.

‘He absolutely loved it – and was really good at following his nose and finding them so we contacted the police to see if they’d be interested in taking him on as a new recruit.’

Badger, now aged 20 months, joined the police dog training programme and qualified as a sniffer dog six months ago.

After weeks of treatment, the puppies were rehomed to loving families. But Badger struggled in his new home and was returned to the centre.

Ms Douglas said: ‘He was always on the go and needed constant stimulation – he was just too much for his adopters so he came back to us. We kept him busy by hiding tennis balls around the centre and playing scent games with him.

‘He absolutely loved it – and was really good at following his nose and finding them so we contacted the police to see if they’d be interested in taking him on as a new recruit.’

Badger, now aged 20 months, joined the police dog training programme and qualified as a sniffer dog six months ago.

Source: moneysavingbasics.com