Britain’s longest-serving fire investigation dog retires after 11 years of service

It's time for him to put his paws up

Reqs joined Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service in 2012 at the age of one, and has since gone on to attend roughly 500 incidents.

The black Labrador helped gather evidence in investigations into fires, including cases of arson and murder, with his work helping contribute to more than 250 years of imprisonment for convicted offenders.

In a tribute to Reqs' years of service, the fire service said the canine used his "impeccable sense of smell to detect accelerants like petrol at the scenes of fires in Hertfordshire and the wider eastern and south-eastern regions."

Explaining the crucial role Reqs played in investigations, his handler Watch Commander Nikki Harvey said: “We are called to the scene of any serious fire that crews believe to be deliberate or suspicious, or where the cause is not immediately known, especially if there has been a fatality at the scene.

“Reqs gets involved as soon as it is safe. I’ll go through the scene first to check that it has properly cooled down with no visible sign of smoke or embers and that there aren’t any hazards that could harm him. He gets to work using his best tool – his nose – to locate any potential accelerants like petrol that might have been used to deliberately start a fire.

"That’s when the human fire investigators like myself can take a closer look while Reqs enjoys a reward – his favourite tennis ball!”

Over the years, Reqs has also become something of a social media celebrity. More than 10,000 people follow social media pages posting updates about him, along with posts about his protégé Loki and the work they do together.

And he's a local icon as well, thanks to regular appearance at fire station open days and visits to school and clubs.

Reqs can now look forward to a relaxing life as Nikki's pet pooch, with Loki ready to take up the mantle with the fire service.

Nikki admitted she'll miss her "best mate's" comforting cuddles at the end of a job, but added that she's delighted he'll still be around at home, and is sure that Loki will "carry on doing a great job in his paw-steps."

Get those paws up Reqs - you've earned it.

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