London’s longest-serving fire dog to retire

3 hours ago

Sherlock joined London Fire Brigade at only 10 weeks old and it says he is now 100 in dog years

Crispin Hughes A picture of Sherlock, a black cocker spaniel with a white nose and chest, as a puppy wearing a beige checked fire vest with the black, blue, red and white LFB crest, as well as tiny red and black rubber boots — Sherlock joined London Fire Brigade at only 10 weeks old and it says he is now 100 in dog years

A dog that joined London Fire Brigade at only 10 weeks old is retiring after becoming its longest-serving fire investigation dog.

Sherlock, a cocker spaniel, attended the Grenfell Tower fire and met royalty during his 12 years of service.

He is trained to identify the presence of up to 10 flammable liquids, such as acetone and petrol, and has recently been working in the community on fire safety and prevention.

His handler, group commander Paul Osborne, said: “In dog years, Sherlock is 100 years old, so it’s only fitting for him to hang up his boots now and take a well-earned break. He’ll enjoy a relaxed retirement filled with naps on the sofa, his favourite walks and plenty of belly rubs.”

Mr Osborne added: “As Sherlock embarks on this new chapter of his life, his contribution and achievements during his time within London Fire Brigade are testament to his dedication, expertise and unwavering service.”

Sherlock will spend his retirement with his handler Paul Osborne

Crispin Hughes Sherlock looking at the camera lens as his handler Paul Osborne, a man with short hair wearing a dark jacket and earphones, poses for a picture with him in front of some trees — Sherlock will spend his retirement with his handler Paul Osborne

The brigade said it looked at a dog’s drive to play when trying to find specialist fire investigation dogs and has two recruits for Sherlock to pass on his duties to – Simba, eight, and Smokey, three.

If a dog is successful in becoming a fire investigation dog, it can usually work for about 10 years, with skills kept sharp through annual training refreshers, LFB added.

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