Tributes paid to Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service investigation dog Reqs after his death aged 13

Tributes were paid to Hertfordshire fire investigation dog Reqs and “heartfelt condolences” sent to his handler after his death on Thursday (Nov 14).

The 13-year-old black Labrador was believed to have been one of the UK’s longest serving fire investigation dogs and colleagues at Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service remembered him as a dedicated and hard-working member of the team.

He retired in July 2023 and in November last year he became 42nd recipient of the PDSA Order of Merit, in recognition of his lifetime of dedication and hard work.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Mark Barber, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, 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.

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

Fire investigation dogs are trained to detect substances which can start fires. Their 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.

Reqs’ skills not only reduced the time fire investigators had to spend on the scene, he also helped to find vital evidence, such as petrol, to be used by prosecutors in court.

His work helped put convicted offenders behind bars for a combined total of 250 years.

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.”

On presenting Reqs with the charity’s Order of Merit in November last year, PDSA director general Jan McLoughlin said: “We’re incredibly proud to be honouring Reqs with our PDSA Order of Merit.

“His outstanding devotion to duty and service to society has been demonstrated time and time again throughout his long career, and his exceptional skills go above and beyond that of normal companionship, making him a very worthy recipient of the award.

“Receiving the PDSA Order of Merit is a fitting tribute to his lifetime of dedication and hard work.”