A retired police dog is being hailed as a hero after saving a man's life during a birthday walk.
Bear, a 12-year-old German Shepherd who had previously served with the Surrey and Sussex Police Dog Unit, was out celebrating his birthday following major surgery when his old instincts kicked in.
While hiking in England's South Downs on November 28, Bear alerted his owners to a man in distress hidden in the undergrowth.
The man Bear found was a vulnerable missing person who had been the focus of a police search for several hours.
Thanks to Bear's keen instincts, the man was located and his life was saved.
On December 23, Bear was presented with the Lifesaver Award by the Thin Blue Paw Foundation, a charity that supports working and retired police dogs across the UK.
"It is incredible Bear is continuing to inspire us with his skills, and caps a remarkable career of service even after his well-earned retirement from the force in 2020," Chief Constable Jo Shiner said in a statement. "Bear's story is a testament to the high standards achieved by all of our police dogs and their handlers in Sussex, and demonstrates our commitment to helping the public and serving our communities."
Julia Pope, a retired police officer who adopted Bear following his time in the force, told The Argus it was a case of being in the right place at the right time: it was Bear's first walk in weeks, following major surgery to remove two tumors.
"Bear found several people during his working life who probably wouldn't have survived without him, but he and his handler never got any recognition at the time because they were simply doing their job," she told the paper. "For him to get this award now, in his retirement, and for his former handler, Iain, to have been there too, is very special. We're all super proud of him."