Paws up time for 'longest-serving' Hertfordshire fire dog

Reqs started working for Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service in 2012

A dog described as the "longest-serving fire investigation dog" has put his paws up and retired.

Reqs, a black 11-year-old, Labrador, has worked for Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service since joining in 2012.

Nikki Harvey, his handler, told BBC Breakfast, he was "an amazing search dog" and was preparing for his new life as her pet.

During his years of service he attended about 500 incidents, including finding a pet dog after an Clacton explosion.

Loki, with Nikki Harvey, has now taken over from Reqs

His protégé Loki, will now take over.

Reqs was due to retire earlier, but because of "unfortunate circumstances" with a trainee replacement dog, he stayed on, Ms Harvey, a watch commander, said.

"He's an amazing search dog, he was right from the initial stages of his training.

"He just excelled in every area of his training really early on, so we could tell that he was going to be really good [and] be a competent fire and rescue and search dog."

His "impeccable" sense of smell was used to detect accelerants at the scenes of fire, the service said.

"He's trained to detect ignitable liquids, things like petrol, white spirits, barbecue lighter fluid and cigarette lighter fluid," Ms Harvey said.

Reqs located a pet dog in rubble a the scene of an explosion in Clacton, Essex, in 2014

Other cases he helped investigate included murder and attempted murder investigations, arsons and a false imprisonment.

Ms Harvey said he only went to scenes when it was safe for him, and he wore his extra-large protective boots to save his paws from sharp items.

A reward for Reqs is playing with a tennis ball

"It's paws up on the sofa, he just becomes my pet dog now.

"He's happy to be lying on the sofa, eating things, playing with his ball."

She said one of her biggest jobs might be to keep Reqs away from food "as he's quite a greedy Labrador".

Reqs was presented with a certificate for his years of loyal service