Met Police dog 'lucky to be alive' after being stabbed

Police dog Kaiser required stitches, but is expected to make a full recovery

Tributes have been paid to a Met Police dog who showed "immense bravery" in trying to tackle a man who repeatedly stabbed him in the head.

Supt Emma Richards said Kaiser is "lucky to be alive" after suffering his injuries in Orpington, south London, on Sunday night.

Kaiser required stitches, but is expected to make a full recovery.

Another officer sustained a broken wrist and is expected to be off work for up to a month, the Met said.

Kaiser was on patrol with PC Mark Woolcott at 23:00 BST when they were called to reports of an intruder in the back garden of a house on Luxted Road.

They tracked down a man who stabbed Kaiser multiple times on the top of his head and below his eye.

'Danger and uncertainty'

Vets said the blows to his head struck bone - narrowly avoiding serious injuries.

Supt Emma Richards said the man responsible for the attack has been detained under the Mental Health Act.

"He is getting the care he needs now and a decision will be taken in due course as to whether it would be appropriate for any criminal charges to follow," she said.

"Incidents where mental health is a significant factor can be unpredictable and sometimes dangerous.

"The events of Sunday night are a reminder of the risks that our men, women and animals face on the frontline.

"We ask them to go towards danger and uncertainty on a daily basis in order to keep the public safe and I am proud that they do so with such commitment and bravery each and every time."