A life-saving police dog who is now retired for service has been shortlisted for a top award.

Belgian Malinois Fiji joined Surrey and Sussex Police when she was just four months old having been rescued when her owner tragically committed suicide. She was paired with operational dog handler Claire Bird who had just returned from maternity leave.

The duo excelled in training and soon hit the streets to keep the public safe. They were just a few months into the job when an emergency call came in that would test all of Fiji’s training.

Statement from Dr Linda Joyce-Jones:

My highly successful campaign to get the Welsh Government to ban wild animals in circuses here in #Cymru showed just what can be achieved when "ordinary" people come together and stand up to the plate. If the last year has shown anything it has demonstrated that here in Wales we do things differently.