Ward supports London Retired Police Dogs Trust Charity

London Retired Police Dogs (LRPD) Trust is a charity that provides support for the retired police and fire dogs of London. Ward is delighted to support such a fantastic charity and the great work they provide to dogs that need it.

LRPD was established in 2019 by Emma Dignam, Phil Wells and Kristian Leighton with the aim of ensuring that retired service dogs get the retirement they deserve. Support is provided through financial assistance towards medical care and treatment, removing the pressure from owners, as well as the need for them to make decisions based on financial concerns.

Due to the nature of the work the dogs that LRPD support do, means it’s extremely difficult to insure them in their retirement years, which is why the support LRPD provide is so important as it ensures that no dog goes without any critical treatment or care they need.

LRPD is a fully registered charity and has grown to now cover The Metropolitan Police, City of London Police and also London Fire Brigade Dogs.

Emma Dignam, co-founder of LRPD, commented, “Unfortunately, there were situations where people were having to make decisions regarding their dogs future and wellbeing based on finances, and not what was best for the dog sometimes, because they didn’t have access to any help or support.

As an ex-handler, I’ve been there. My retired police dog was admitted as an emergency case to a veterinary hospital and I felt like I had nowhere to turn, where do I go other than using my life savings and re-mortgage my house to cover the costs of the treatment and medical care my dog needed at that time. Without hesitation, I did this, he was my retired police dog and he had protected me throughout his career so I would have done whatever I could for him, but sometimes people don’t have that choice, and I didn’t want anyone to be in that position, and to feel that way.

This is where LRPD started. We recognised the need for financial assistance to be available and we can now help our retired dogs with whatever they need, it’s our way of saying thank you for their services to the local communities.

The charity is growing fast, and for us, we want to give each and every dog the chance to enjoy its retirement and to be comfortable with all medical needs taken care of, and thanks to the support we receive, we can do that!”

You can find out more about LRPD, and donate, here.