Hampshire police dog, Moxie, saves man's life in New Forest

A German Shepherd has proved to be the perfect addition to Hampshire Police during her first two months on duty, after she helped to save a man's life.

Moxie joined the force in October and within weeks, she helped to track down a man who had left his home in the New Forest, with the intention to end his own life.

Moxie picked up his scent and located him. The man was already unconscious but his handler was able to provide immediate first aid and call for the ambulance service.

In another incident at the end of November, Moxie tracked down another high-risk missing person and found him safe in a sleeping bag within three minutes of her being on the ground.

The new four-legged recruit has also carried out duties at football matches, been deployed to a theft from vehicle incident, searched a building site for burglars, and attended a collision where the driver had left the scene.

Moxie’s handler, PC Stacy Beale, said: “Tracking missing people, uncovering evidence and apprehending suspects are just some of the crucial roles our dogs play in our relentless pursuit of criminals and keeping our communities safe.

“Together with their handlers, they can provide assistance to a range of teams across the force, whether that is in public order situations, helping find a missing person or tracking down evidence which may not initially be spotted by the human eye.

“I am incredibly proud of Moxie, having saved a man’s life in her first month of duty and showing confidence whilst being deployed to a number of other types of incidents. She is a good all round dog, who enjoys her work. Whilst she is still young in service she is proving to be a confident four legged crime fighter and an excellent partner to work with.”