She Protected Kent With Everything She Had Now She Needs Us

Retired Police Dog Coty once tackled violent suspects and found critical evidence in major cases now she faces paralysis without a £14,000 spinal operation

Retired Police Dog Coty was the kind of dog officers dream of working alongside. Fearless, loyal, razor-sharp. A K9 who didn’t just serve the job but lived for it. For years, she stood between danger and her handler. She found hidden suspects, recovered crucial evidence, and played a role in cases that many humans would hesitate to approach. And now, at just five years old, she’s facing the fight of her life.

Coty’s story isn’t just moving because she’s unwell. It’s devastating because of what she’s already given.

From the moment she joined Kent Police’s puppy programme at ten weeks old, Coty was different. Determined. Energetic. Gifted. She became operationally licensed before she was even a year and a half old, quickly rising to become one of the UK’s top performing police dogs. National trophies. G7 Summit security. Complex suspect tracking. Public protection. She was a standout not just in skill but in spirit.

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Her former handler and now loving owner, PC Lisa Milligan, puts it simply. “She was fearless. She lived for the job.” Coty chased suspects through rivers and fields. She pulled her handler down embankments. She found evidence in woodlands that later led to convictions in violent crimes. When a suspect ran after attacking a police officer and torching their car, it was Coty who picked up the scent and led officers to an arrest. Coty made Kent safer. And now she can’t even stand on her own.

Last year, Coty began to lose strength in her back legs. At first there was hope. Surgery removed two large cysts on her spine and it seemed she was on the mend. But just after Christmas, she collapsed. Since then it’s been months of appointments, MRI scans, and heartache. Experts at the Royal Veterinary College say Coty now needs complex spinal surgery to have any chance at a normal life. The cost? Fourteen thousand pounds. The alternative? She will lose all mobility. She will have to be put to sleep.

That’s the brutal reality for one of the most outstanding police dogs this country has seen.

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The National Foundation for Retired Service Animals (NFRSA) is leading the charge to get Coty the care she needs. As a small charity, they’re up against a huge bill. At the time of writing, just over £800 has been raised. But the goal remains. Give Coty her future back. Because a dog who gave so much doesn’t deserve to suffer quietly. She deserves the chance to feel the sand under her paws again. To chase a ball. To walk beside the partner she never once let down.

There’s a line in the NFRSA appeal that says it best: “Coty gave everything in her years of service. Now, we’re doing everything we can to give her the joyful, peaceful retirement she’s earned.”

That’s not sentiment. That’s a call to action.

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For those of us who admire our emergency services and the unseen sacrifices, both emotional and physical, Coty’s story matters. It’s about more than one dog. It’s about valuing what service means. About how we care for our protectors once their job is done. And how the public can be the difference between a hero fading away quietly or living with dignity.

We’ll be following Coty’s story closely here at ESN Report and sharing updates as they come in. If you want to stay up to date and support this kind of reporting, please subscribe to our newsletter. No ads. No clickbait.

And if you can spare anything at all, here’s the link to Coty’s JustGiving campaign:

Help Save Retired Police Dog Coty

Let’s show Coty the kind of loyalty she never once hesitated to show us.

Support our independent reporting and help us keep telling stories like Coty’s by subscribing to ESN Report today.