Finn the German shepherd was nearly killed after first taking a 10-inch blade in the lung and then leaping to block a knife lunge aimed at the torso of his partner, Police Constable Dave Wardell.
The 8-year-old canine had to undergo surgery to save his life. Wardell suffered a knife wound to his hand but was saved from further injury thanks to Finn’s actions.
And on March 14, the brave dog was commended for his sacrifice with a PDSA gold medal–the highest award for civilian animal bravery.
The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) award is also known as the animals’ George Cross.
Finn received the accolade at a ceremony in Westminster, London.
Wardell spoke to MailOnline last year about how the courageous canine saved his life.
Finn was an experienced British police dog at the time of the 2016 incident. He had tracked over 200 people, including murderers, rapists, burglars, missing persons, car thieves, and assault suspects.
The two had been partners for seven years at the police precinct in Hertfordshire, UK, when a call came in on Oct. 5 of an armed robbery.
“A taxi driver had been robbed of his takings by a passenger. The driver had done the sensible thing—stopped the car, handed the money over, then run for his life,” Wardell wrote.
The duo spotted a suspect fitting the description and Wardell released the canine when the armed man ignored his order to stop. Finn grabbed hold of the man’s leg and in the tussle Finn was stabbed.
“It was a knife—as thick as a ruler. It was ridiculously huge, like a hunting knife—the blade alone must have been 10in long,” Wardell wrote.
The suspect then reportedly lunged with the knife toward the officer. Finn intervened and was slashed in the head. Wardell’s hand was cut, but he managed to subdue the attacker by body slamming him into the ground.
“I was numb, exhausted and terrified. The vision of the knife, that flash of metal as it slid out of Finn’s chest. Then another flash as the suspect lunged a second time, aiming for my upper body, and Finn moving to protect me and blocking the weapon with his head,” Wardell wrote.
Finn was rushed to a vet for a life-saving surgery and, after a recovery that lasted several months, rejoined the force.
The man who stabbed Finn and slashed Wardell was sentenced to four months in jail. Wardell felt that the law failed to sufficiently protect dogs in the line of duty, so he has pushed for a change in legislation.
A new regulation, known as “Finn’s Law,” is expected to be passed soon.
Finn retired from active duty in 2017 and Wardell has written a book in tribute to his furry friend called “Fabulous Finn: The Brave Police Dog Who Was Stabbed And Came Back From The Brink.”
The book features an account of Finn’s memorable crime-fighting exploits.
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