Working & Retired Dog Charities
Working and Retired Dogs
Dogs are remarkable animals and there are many dogs working hard around the world to keep us all - and their handlers - safe. But what happens to them when they retire? Here are a list of charities which work to give working dogs the retirement they deserve, and some also help their handlers with vet bills if the dogs are still working and have been injured in the line of duty. Thank you to all working dogs and their handlers everywhere. Please keep safe.
UK Charities
Association of Retired Police Dog Charities promotes the work of 16 local retired police dog charities e.g.
London Retired Police Dogs Trust and Retired Lancashire Police Dogs and Essex Retired Police Dogs, and
W.A.G.s Retired Police Dog Charity (retired Police Dogs from Wiltshire, Avon and Somerset and Gloucestershire Police)
Thin Blue Paw Foundation (retired police dogs in the UK)
Hero Paws - supporting military, police and all forces dogs and their families in retirement and beyond
Tired Paws - taking care of retired prison service dogs
Greyhound Trust homes about 3,500 retired racing greyhounds and help hundreds more every year
This video is from Crufts You Tube Channel. Police dog Baloo retired with Mandy Chapman, a former police dog handler, and won The Kennel Club Hero Dog Award 2025. Find out more here.
There are also assistance dog charities:
Assistance Dogs International ) is a worldwide coalition of charities that train and place Assistance Dogs. It is the leading authority in the Assistance Dog industry.
Assistance Dogs UK - assistance dogs are trained to support disabled people and also people with medical conditions in various ways
United States
Mission K9 (USA) (retired and retiring military working dogs, contract working dogs and PD-K9s around the world) - they need urgent help as they welcome in 9 working dogs from Kabul, Afghanistan who are coming across the Atlantic with the Kabul Small Animal Rescue (30 May 2024)
K9 Hero Haven Retired Working Dogs in the US, on a mission to give retired working dogs a home for retirement
The Warrior Dog Foundation, US - transitions working K9s "from an operational environment into retirement". Providing mental and physical rehabilitation, and rehoming options to Military Working Dogs, Contract Working Dogs and Law Enforcement K9s
Pets for Patriots - pet adoption for military veterans and families (USA)
Canada
Ned’s Wish™ supports law enforcement and the Canadian Armed Forces by providing financial and educational support to enhance the quality of life for their K-9 retirees in Canada.
New Zealand
Retired Working Dogs NZ (New Zealand)
One of my favourite videos on You Tube is that of "K9 accused of stealing fellow officer's sandwich" which was covered on the news by KCAU-TV Sioux City. I particularly loved the comment that Officer Ice (the K9) "quite frankly is not cooperating with the investigation". Bless you, Officer Ice, and thank you for all you've done during your years of service. Officer Barwig, thank you to you and your colleagues too!