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Gordon Thorburn has worked as a copywriter, journalist, scriptwriter, editor and author. Books include Bombers, First and Last, Animal Spy, and the bestselling Men and Sheds. He lives in Norfolk.
Cassius was a truly exceptional police dog whose career became the stuff of legend and the gold standard for all dogs coming after. In just five years he scored a century of arrests, saved lives, bit half a dozen policemen, and gave his handler, PC Joe Sleightholm, the most exciting, exhilarating, and nerve-wracking times of his life. Things did not go according to plan in Sleightholm's first years as a police dog handler. The difficulties of finding and keeping the right dog were so great that he was ready to give up. Then Cass came along. The two of them quickly formed a bond, graduated as stars from the training school, and became an outstandingly effective working partnership. Cass became part of the Sleightholm family, too. Car thieves, armed robbers, drug dealers, murderers, burglars--Cassius learned to find them, contain them, intimidate, and attack if he had to. Sometimes it was dangerous for him. Usually it was more dangerous for the criminal. The story of Cassius is by turns thrilling, funny, and moving, and always a fascinating insight into the freemasonry of police dog training.
This is the true story of an unusual hero. Tall, dark and handsome and often surrounded by an admiring crowd, this is no film star but an eight-year-old bay gelding from the Mounted Branch of the Metropolitan Police.From the Royal Wedding to the London riots to entertaining visitors outside Buckingham Palace, Merlin's career as a top police horse has been full of drama and unexpected challenges and his brave and loyal efforts have earned him celebrity status.Horses such as Merlin go through a challenging training process to prepare them for a life in the force. There are three stages of training: red, amber and green. Reports show that the young Merlin was sometimes naughty and spirited - but once his training was complete he was disciplined enough to maintain order at some of the toughest and most high profile events in London.This book looks at Merlin's daily life and duties and his fascinating partnership with his mounted police constable, Karen Howell. When Karen first met Merlin during his training it was love at first sight and over the years she has developed an intriguing bond with this brave, eccentric and deeply individual character.Including extracts from 'Merlin's Diary' and in-depth interviews with the officers who trained and work with Merlin day-to-day this book examines the extraordinary partnership between humans and horses in the modern police service. The author also delves into the surprising history of police horses in Britain and looks at how horses are a key part of law enforcement around the world.
WEREWOLF is the raw, real-life account of a police K9 named "Brag" and his human partner. When they first meet, Brag shows no interest in human attachment and the cop is wary of caring too much for a dog whose life he must risk every night. But as their dangerous manhunts push them to their mental and physical limits, the two develop an unbreakable bond that blurs the line between human and canine. Anyone who has ever loved a dog will embrace this heartfelt story of courage and loyalty!
Hertfordshire, October 5th 2016. At around 2 a.m., PC Dave Wardell and his dog, PD Finn, were trying to apprehend a robbery suspect when he turned around and attacked them. Finn was stabbed with a ten-inch-bladed knife, both through his chest, via his armpit and then - the knife bound for Dave - through the top of his head. Finn no doubt saved Dave's life, but the race was on to try and save Finn's. Dave Wardell's heartfelt memoir charts an incredible journey of friendship and loyalty. It is a celebration of the bond between one man and his dog, from when Dave collected Finn from his kennels at just nine months old, all the way through to Finn's recent and hard-earned retirement. The book charts the career of a highly trained, highly decorated dog. In his time on the job Finn tracked offenders of all kinds; found missing children; tackled armed offenders; saved lives. But Finn isn't just a police dog - he's also a cherished family pet and this is his remarkable, life-affirming story.
"With some dogs you share a boil in the bag breakfast and maybe a blanket on a cold desert floor. Some you wouldn't leave in charge of your Grandma unless you wanted to find out just how fast the old girl could run. But, if you're very, very lucky there will be the one dog you would lay down your life for – and for me that dog is Buster." Buster, an English springer spaniel who has served his comrades and his country with unstinting devotion, has saved thousands of lives. This is the story of his partnership with RAF Police Sergeant Will Barrow, told by Will himself, describing how each came to save the other's life. It is a relationship that produced some heroic feats—including sniffing out explosive vests that led to the arrests of two suicide bombers—in the dust and desert heat of Afghanistan and beyond. Buster, uniquely, has served five tours of duty in three theatres of war (Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan)—more than any other military dog. He also won the prestigious Crufts Friends for Life Award in 2012, and has gone on to become the official lifetime mascot of the RAF Police, the only dog in history to have been honored in that manner. A best friend in dog's clothing, an RAF dog with his mossy feet firmly on the ground, Buster is truly a dog in a million.
'Terry Spamer's investigations into the camouflaged world of animal abuse will have you on the edge of your seat.' Sir Ranulph Fiennes Governments legislate against trade in wildlife yet the traffic in rare species is worth six billion dollars a year. Regulations forbid animal suffering in the food industry and cruelty in bloodsports is criminalised, but little is done to enforce the good intentions. The only way to stop it is to go undercover, to recruit informants and to infiltrate the gangs: to go behind enemy lines. With his SAS training and his talent for being accepted by his enemies, Terry Spamer gets close to the guilty and the corrupt, exposes them and places the evidence before the authorities - and us. The first freelance undercover agent investigating organised animal crime, Terry tracks those trapping wild primates for laboratory use and wild birds for pets. He infiltrates dog-fighting rings and proves the appalling treatment of reindeer on their way to the low-fat meat counter. Animals are killed on camera for sexual gratification, and no animal is too rare for the bespoke taxidermist. Gripping and moving, this page-turning book is an eye-opener to the cruelty that lives on in a 'civilised' world.
The thrilling and inspiring story of a U.S. Marine and his dog Rex, a bomb sniffing German Shepard, who forged a bond of trust and loyalty while serving on the war-torn streets of Iraq's most dangerous city. Called "a deeply affecting tale of courage and devotion in the cauldron of war" by Publishers Weekly, Sergeant Mike Dowling's heart-pounding account of an unbreakable bond between man and dog takes us into the searing 130-degree heat, the choking dust, and the ever-present threat of violent attack in Iraq's infamous Triangle of Death. In 2004, Dowling and his military working dog Rex were part of the first Marine Corps military K9 teams sent to the front lines of combat since Vietnam. It was Rex's job to sniff out weapons caches, suicide bombers, and IEDs, the devastating explosives that wreaked havoc on troops and civilians. It was Mike's job to lead Rex into the heart of danger. An extraordinary chronicle of loyalty in the face of terrible adversity, Sergeant Rex is an unforgettable story of sacrifice, courage, and love.
Warm, funny and moving; the perfect summer read. For fans of Arthur, Finding Gobi and Damien Lewis' A Dog Called Hope. When Steve Jamieson met Bilbo, a chocolate Newfoundland puppy, little did he know that the small bundle of fluff would grow to take up a huge space in his heart and change his life forever. The pair were inseparable, with Bilbo accompanying Steve to his job as head lifeguard of Sennen beach in Cornwall every day. With his webbed paws and thick, double layer of fur, Bilbo was an excellent swimmer and he was soon promoted to honorary lifeguard. He was even credited with saving the lives of three people. Word about Bilbo spread and fans flocked from miles around to meet the friendly giant. But Bilbo and Steve couldn't have foreseen the obstacles that life would throw at them. Together, they would have to gather every bit of their strength to fight for their livelihood. Warm, heartfelt and moving, Bilbo the Lifeguard Dog is a tale of heroism and friendship, and is one man's tribute to his extraordinary dog.
