Cambridgeshire Police dog Luna on duty sniffing out danger at G7 summit

Sniffing out drugs and weapons is a walk in the park for BCH police dog Luna, but a special trip to Cornwall? That’s a whole new ball game.

This was no ordinary holiday for the crime-fighting canine, who first joined the force in 2018 after being rescued in Ireland as a puppy by the Dogs Trust.

PD Luna was the only weapons search dog from the Beds, Cambs and Herts Dog Unit to attend the G7 summit earlier this month which saw a gathering of government leaders from just a few of the world’s richest nations.

Along with her handler, PC Paul Huggett, and Hertfordshire-based specialist search dogs Wills and Pip, she supported colleagues in Devon and Cornwall with security for the event.

Her handler Paul said: “Luna was the first dog to go onto Carbis Bay and search – that was how we spent day one and two. Days three and four we went to Newquay Airport and did searches in the VIP lounge.

“Luna also worked at the vehicle checkpoint and at Tregenna Castle, and searched conference areas too. Although she is trained to find cash and drugs as well, it’s mainly weapons we were looking for.

“We were incredibly proud to go down and be a part of the work to keep people safe.”

Despite working hard, Luna also had some downtime to do the more usual holiday activities, such as a swim in the sea with PDs Pip and Wills.

PC Jim Hoare, PD Wills’ handler, said Pip and Wills mainly carried out route searching on the roads the heads of state were travelling on.

He added: “It was so rewarding to see all the training we put in with these dogs be brought to the fore. It was also fantastic to mix with dog handlers from other forces and share training, tips and knowledge.

“The kennels and training provided by Devon and Cornwall Police was fantastic; overall it was a great experience and one we were proud to be part of.”

For more information on the BCH Dog Unit, visit the force’s dedicated web page.