Spaniel beaten by former owner becomes police dog

A dog rescued by the RSPCA after his owner was caught on CCTV abusing him is now "thriving" as a police sniffer dog.

The spaniel, Marshall, was spotted on CCTV cowering in fear at a supported living home in Devon while a teenager kicked him, hit him, picked him up by his neck and threw him onto a sofa.

The spaniel was fostered by an experienced handler before starting his training course in November 2021.

His new police trainer described him as a "typical crazy little spaniel".

The RSPCA asked for help from Devon and Cornwall Police to seize the dog and take him into their care.

They found Marshall was still legally owned and microchipped to his previous owner and that the teenager had him on a trial basis.

Marshall's previous owner agreed to sign him over to the RSPCA for rehoming.

RSPCA Inspector Beccy Wadey, who investigated the case, said Marshall, who is full of energy, was fostered by a dog handler at Gloucestershire Police last November and is now a cash, drugs and firearms detection dog.

Dog trainer PC Rich Hunt said: "Marshall is brilliant, he's a typical crazy little spaniel. He doesn't stop and goes at 100mph in everything he does."

The teenager from Torquay, Devon, who cannot be named due to his age at the time of the offence, was sentenced at Newton Abbot Magistrates Court on Monday.

He was given a one-year community order with 100 hours unpaid work, ordered to pay £495 and banned from keeping any animals for ten years.

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