West Mercia Police dogs issued protective vests

West Mercia Police said the vests would offer protection from bladed and blunt weapons

Protective vests have been issued to all West Mercia Police dogs.

Chief Constable Pippa Mills said she wanted to "ensure that we continue to protect our animals, as much as we protect our officers".

In 2017 Police Dog Canto was stabbed when he and his handler, PC Emma Worrall, were called to an incident in Bridgnorth, Shropshire.

She said a vest would have "saved him from the pain and injury it inflicted on him".

The force said it was one of the first in the UK to fully equip its general purpose and firearms support dogs.

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Ch Con Mills, who is also the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for police dogs, said: "They are often the first to run towards a potential threat and can be at risk of being harmed.

"Sadly, we have experienced how it can affect the force when a dog is injured during the line of duty and it means a lot that we are able to equip our dogs with these protective vests to help prevent them from harm."

Police Dog Canto was stabbed in the chest while responding to reports of a man with a knife

Police Dog Canto made a full recovery and returned to work, later receiving a medal from animal charity PDSA for his bravery.

And in 2019 the Animal Welfare (Service Animals) Bill was introduced, after a police dog was stabbed in Stevenage.

'Finn's Law' makes it harder for those who harm police dogs to claim it was an act of self-defence or criminal damage.