Finn: The Dog Who Took a Knife — and Changed the Law

The night it happened still replays in my mind like a film I can’t switch off. My partner, Police Dog Finn, had been by my side for seven years — loyal, fearless, and more than a colleague. He was my best friend.

That night, everything changed in seconds. A suspect fled into the dark, and we gave chase. I saw the glint of a knife too late. Before I could react, Finn lunged — placing himself between me and the blade. The knife struck deep into his chest, missing his heart by mere centimeters.

Even as blood soaked his fur, Finn refused to let go. He held the suspect until backup arrived. Only when it was over did he collapse into my arms.

At the veterinary hospital, I was told the words every handler dreads: “His chances aren’t good.” But Finn was no ordinary dog. He was a fighter.

The first time his tail gave the faintest wag, I knew he was still in there — still fighting to stay with me. Against all odds, he recovered, one heartbeat at a time.

But what came next was harder to face than any knife: under the law, Finn was considered property. The man who stabbed him would face only minor charges, as though Finn were an object, not a living, breathing soul who had saved my life.

That night, I made him a promise: “They’ll know who you are, partner. They’ll know what you did.”

And together, we fought again — this time, not on the streets, but in Parliament. Thousands joined our campaign, demanding justice for service animals.

In 2019, after years of effort, Finn’s Law was passed — granting legal protection to police dogs and horses, recognizing them as living beings who serve with courage and heart.

By then, Finn had retired. His fur had turned silver, his steps slower, but his spirit — that unbreakable spark — never faded.

In 2021, he passed peacefully, his head resting in my lap, just as it had the night he saved my life.

Finn didn’t just protect me that night.
He changed the world for every service animal that came after him.

Because heroes don’t always wear badges or capes.
Sometimes, they walk on four paws.