Tributes flood in for 'dedicated' Herts fire service hound

Reqs, who retired in July 2023, was believed to have been one of Britain’s longest serving fire investigation dogs.

Reqs was loved by his family and handlers. (Image: Herts fire & rescue) The black labrador passed away on Thursday, November 14, and will be remembered as a dedicated and hard-working member of the Herts team.

In November last year he became 42nd recipient of the PDSA Order of Merit, in recognition of his lifetime of dedication and hard work.

Reqs posing with his well-earned medal. (Image: Herts fire & rescue) Deputy chief fire officer Mark Barber, Hert fire and rescue, said: “Reqs faithfully served alongside his handler Nikki Harvey for 11 years prior to his retirement last July.

“During his time in the service he attended 500 fires, in order to identify the presence of flammable liquids, which will have helped with criminal convictions.

“We are also paying tribute to a valued colleague, and we send our heartfelt condolences to his handler Nikki Harvey.”"

During his work, Reqs was trained to detect substances which can start fires. He used his sense of smell can help investigators to determine if a fire has been started deliberately and help improve conviction rates for people who purposefully start fires.

Watch Commander Nikki Harvey worked alongside Reqs for over 10 years. (Image: Herts fire & rescue) Watch Commander Nikki Harvey, who worked with Reqs for over a decade, described him as a "committed member" of the fire investigation team and a "beloved family member".

“His achievements over the course of his career show just what a remarkable dog he was, and I feel privileged that I got to share his life – training and working with him, taking him for long walks, watching him play with his toys and enjoying his retirement," she added.