Decorated Fire Investigation Dog Reqs Dies After 11 Years of Service

Reqs, a labrador considered to be one of Britain’s longest-serving fire investigation dogs, has passed away at the age of 12. He had attended 500 fires since 2012 and retired from Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service last July. Subsequently, the fire investigation dog received a PDSA Order of Merit, an honor often referred to as an animal’s OBE, in recognition of his service. Watch Cdr Nikki Harvey, who also served as Reqs’s handler, stated: “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.” Throughout his 11 years of service, Reqs assisted in detecting the presence of flammable liquids, including substances like petrol or lighter fluid. His duties involved attending incidents across England, notably discovering a pet dog buried in the rubble following a house explosion in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. The fire service announced Reqs’s death on Thursday, stating he would be remembered as a “dedicated and hard-working” member of the team. Deputy chief fire officer Mark Barber noted that the black labrador’s contributions were instrumental in securing criminal convictions. He added: “Today we are paying tribute to a valued colleague, and we send our heartfelt condolences to his handler Nikki Harvey.”