Police dog injured by brick-throwing rioters in Southport is forced into retirement - while another is battling back from being kicked and burned
A police dog that suffered a deep cut to her leg when she was injured by brick-throwing rioters in Southport has been been forced to retire.
A police dog that suffered a deep cut to her leg when she was injured by brick-throwing rioters in Southport has been been forced to retire.
The animal, named Zoe, required dozens of stitches after she suffered a laceration amid scenes of violence involving hundreds of people on July 30.
Mersey Police Dogs said Zoe had recovered and was now fit and well, but added the force would never ask our dogs to do something they no longer want to do.
The violent unrest in Southport came a day after three young girls were fatally stabbed in the town, with more than 50 police officers injured during the disorder.
On Friday evening, Mersey Police Dogs posted on its X account: We are sad to announce that following the violent disorder in Southport, PD (Police Dog) Zoe is to retire from service.
Mersey Police Dog Zoe (left) has been taken out of service after brick-throwing rioters in Southport caused her to suffer a deep cut to her leg, while Quga is recovering after she suffered burns to her back leg
Zoe is fit and well but we will never ask our dogs to do something they no longer want to do.
Thank you for your bravery and service, we wish you all the happiness in retirement.
Following the disorder, Merseyside Police said a dog named Ike was recovering after sustaining a cut mouth and swelling to his front leg and another, named Quga, had suffered burns to her back leg.
The Thin Blue Paw Foundation, a charity supporting retired and serving police dogs, revealed in a post that Quga had been bitten, strangled and kicked by an offender in July during a separate incident.
A social media post on X said at the time of the riots said: Last night three police dogs from Merseyside suffered injuries on duty whilst assisting with the violent disorder that took place in Southport.
PD Zoe and PD Ike sustained leg injuries from bricks thrown at them, and PD Quga who was bitten, strangled and kicked by an offender at the beginning of this month at a separate incident, suffered further injuries yesterday evening, with burns to her back leg.
The Thin Blue Paw Foundation revealed the injuries endured by Zoe (left) and Quga (right)
In a post from July, Mersey Police Dogs paid tribute to six dogs injured during the violence
Thank you for your bravery PDs Zoe, Ike and Quga, were wishing you a speedy recovery.
The post has been viewed nearly 400,000 views and more than 1,000 comments of support.
One wrote: This is extremely disturbing and upsetting to hear.
Wishing them all a speedy recovery and thanking their Handlers for their bravery and professionalism.
Another said: Service dogs do an amazing job. People throwing bricks at them?! Rabid and awful behaviour. Hope they recover well.
Mersey Police Dogs also thanked supporters who donated treats and toys in the aftermath of the Southport riots
Merseyside Police added that a fourth police dog, named Repo, was spared injury after its handler kicked petrol away.
Mersey Police Dogs said it had no words for how our officers and dogs were targeted during the disorder, adding our police dogs demonstrated extreme bravery and did all they could to assist colleagues under a sustained and violent attack.
In an update on September 3, the dogs section said Quga had finally been reunited with her handler after a slow recovery.
In a post on social media, Mersey Police Dogs added: Following a trip to the vets she has been given the all clear and will hopefully be back fighting crime and hunting down criminals soon.
The violent unrest in Southport came a day after three young girls were fatally stabbed in the town, with more than 50 police officers injured during the disorder
