Police dog Ivy is taken away from her Shropshire handler
Police dog Ivy was today taken away from her Shropshire handler - despite more than 130,000 people signing a petition set up to in the hope she could stay with him in his retirement.
Sergeant David Evans, from Market Drayton, was told by West Mercia Police that he was not allowed to keep four-year-old Ivy when he retires from the police.
Today Ivy was picked up by West Mercia Police to start the assessment and re-handling period, which will take around two weeks.
It comes after more than 130,000 people - including celebritry supporter Angie Best - have now signed the online petition, which was set up by Sergeant Evans' daughter Jennie.
A spokesman for West Mercia Police said the force purchase dogs through a breeding programme and are bred and trained specifically to be working dogs, not pets.
They added: "Whilst some police dogs coincidentally reach retirement age at around the same as their handler, that is not the case for Ivy, a malinois cross.
"These breeds have a working life of around eight or nine years, Ivy is not quite four.
"We have the full support of her breeder, who agrees that it would not be in the best interests of Ivy to prevent her, at such a young age, from carrying out the role she has been trained to do.
"She will therefore continue in her career with a new handler."
Chief Constable Anthony Bangham previously met with Sergeant Evans and said the force has an obligation to spend its public funds wisely.
The spokesman added: "During that conversation Mr Bangham made a number of suggestions that would have enabled Sergeant Evans to continue working with Ivy. These were all refused.
"The suggestions included; Sergeant Evans could have delayed his retirement and remained in post with Ivy.
"Another suggestion was Sergeant Evans becoming a Special Constable within the dogs unit. This would have meant he could keep Ivy as a working dog. This is a unique situation and, nationally, we are aware of only one other Special Constable that is working with a dog.
"Also Sergeant Evans was invited to join as a volunteer within the kennels and the training school, enabling him to maintain contact with Ivy.
"Ivy will now be re-handled to another officer."
