Ruby lands on her paws as she joins the police force

A nine-month-old former rescue dog that was looked after by a Shaw doggie foster carer has landed on her paws after qualifying as a police sniffer dog.

Jo Bramall, from Shaw, says she is ‘very proud’ of Ruby, an English Springer Spaniel who Jo welcomed into her home after she arrived from Dogs Trust Manchester.

Ruby had found herself without a forever home after a change in her family’s circumstances meant she could no longer stay with them.

Jo, a volunteer doggie foster carer as part of the Dogs Trust’s Home from Home scheme, had only been looking after Ruby for a matter of days when her potential for a career with the police was spotted by police dog handler PC Mark West from Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Dog Unit.

Jo went along to the rehoming centre with Ruby to meet PC West who quickly realised the lively youngster had all the right attributes to join the police force.

As a result, Jo waved a fond farewell to her and Ruby headed off to begin her new life living and working with PC West.

Two months later she has graduated and this week begins her new working life as a drugs, cash and weapons search dog.

Jo said: “I am so proud of her!

"When Mark met her he was really impressed and I’m thrilled that she has passed and is so happy with Mark and his team.

"She has definitely got a bright future ahead of her and I’m so pleased that I was able to give her the love and care she needed at a difficult time and help her on her way to her new life.”

Mark said: “She has been an absolute superstar. She gets on brilliantly with my other dog Dexter and she completes our team.

"Dexter is a firearms support dog so he is alongside officers at firearms warrants.

“Once we have entered a property Ruby will then go in to do the searching side of things. She is brilliant.”

Carol Margieson, Dogs Trust Manchester Deputy Manager, added: “We were absolutely delighted when we found out that Ruby had graduated!

"She had so much potential and we have had our fingers crossed waiting to hear if she passed.

“Mark is thrilled with her and we’re confident that she’ll have a happy and fulfilled working life and a wonderful home life too with Mark, his family and Dexter."

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