A policeman who successfully campaigned for a law to protect service animals from violent criminals has quit after being wrongly accused of breeding a dog for financial gain.
PC Dave Wardell fought for stricter penalties for those who injure police support animals after his dog Finn only just survived a vicious stabbing in the line of duty.
The duo went on to take part in Britain’s Got Talent in 2019 and made it to the final thanks to their special bond.
But Mr Wardell’s 20-year career was called into question earlier this year when he was accused of illegally breeding police animals for financial gain.
The allegation related to Pearl, a police spaniel in his care, when she had been staying in kennels and became pregnant.
PC Dave Wardell fought for stricter penalties for those who injure police support animals after his dog Finn (pictured together) only just survived a vicious stabbing in the line of duty
Mr Wardell’s 20-year career was called into question earlier this year when he was accused of illegally breeding police animals for financial gain. Pictured: Mr Wardell with nine-year-old dog Max
Weeks later, he was told he was also being investigated about animal welfare because another spaniel, Hero, for which he was responsible, had a ‘scruffy’ coat. He said: ‘I was broken at that point. Everyone, including my solicitor and police union rep, told me I would be cleared… Anyone can see how much my animals mean to me.’
Both dogs and a German shepherd were removed from his care after an inquiry was launched in January. Last month, he was placed on restricted duties until he was cleared.
Yet Hertfordshire Police confirmed in November there was ‘no case to answer’ on any of the allegations, and Mr Wardell began applying to have the dogs back – only to learn Pearl had developed cancer and died, Hero had been rehomed, and the German shepherd had been assigned to another force.
Devastated by his treatment and suffering suicidal thoughts, Mr Wardell resigned from Hertfordshire Police in disgust.
His misery was compounded by the death of Finn, aged 14, in July. Mr Wardell, 47, yesterday claimed he was singled out because of an ‘outdated macho culture’ in the force and because colleagues turned against him after he alerted bosses of ‘daily abuse’ of female officers.
Mr Wardell has now moved to Cornwall with his wife, where they run a dog rehoming charity and training centre
The father-of-three has now moved to Cornwall with his wife, where they run a dog rehoming charity and training centre.
In 2016, Finn saved Mr Wardell’s life when both were stabbed on duty. Finn almost died from head and chest wounds but the attack on the dog was dealt with only as criminal damage, leading Mr Wardell to fight for an amendment to the Animal Welfare Act.
Finn’s Law, passed in 2019, made it more difficult for offenders to claim they had harmed a service animal in self-defence.
A Hertfordshire Police spokesman said: ‘We have an absolute duty to respond when allegations of police misconduct emerge and to investigate thoroughly. This work is often complex and can be protracted.’