Sherlock, a fire investigation dog of the London Fire Brigade, is retiring after twelve years of service and many achievements.
Sherlock is a cocker spaniel born in 2012. He started working when very young, joining the team at ten weeks. By 2013, he was fully certified. He worked with Paul Osborne.
Sherlock is the longest-serving dog, and his career was special. He went to many incidents, met important people, and even got an award for being a hero. He also published his own book.
Recently, he became an ambassador, teaching people about fire safety and attending community events. He helped prevent fires.
The fire brigade chooses dogs early, looking for a strong play drive. Sherlock trained using rewards, getting a tennis ball for finding things. He could smell ten liquids, ranging from acetone to petrol.
He worked on big cases, including responding to the Grenfell Tower fire and a Tottenham fire that injured people. Also, he helped with a murder case; his nose was very helpful to investigators.
Sherlock will now rest at home, cared for by Paul, his handler. The Retired Police Dogs Trust will provide money to help with Sherlock’s care. Paul said Sherlock is now retiring after twelve years of service, helping teach other dogs.
Sherlock is now very old in dog years, making it fitting that he takes a break. He will nap, go for walks, and get lots of belly rubs.
Sherlock’s work was very important; he showed dedication and expertise and served the fire brigade well.
The fire team has two other dogs, Simba, eight years old, and Smokey, three years old. They continue to work hard, helping communities in London. Fire dogs work about ten years and get trained every year.