A previously abandoned Belgian Malinois dog has now earned honours serving as a Police Dog.

Found wandering near Sainsbury's, Uxbridge Road, in a pitiable state in October 2023, the dog named Mally was taken in for rehabilitation.

Upon her recovery, Mally demonstrated skills that caught the attention of the police in a service dog assessment.

As of July, she officially became a Herts and Beds Police Dog, dutifully protecting communities.

Councillor Ishrat Shah said: "This is a wonderful story which shows how a bad start doesn’t have to mean a bad ending.

"Things could have been different for Mally, as her rehoming prospects looked bleak."

He praised those who trained Mally and the council’s resilience and enforcement team's efforts with stray or abandoned animals, concluding, "Mally obviously put in the hard work too and is now making her mark in her new job."