A Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service crew manager took a chance on a Belgian Malinois police dog in training and now the pair save lives around the world.

Niamh Darcy has handled four-year-old Vesper from when she was 18 months old following re-education from police to rescue dog.

Last year, the pair were deployed as part of the UK International Search and Rescue Team and the life-saving canine played an integral role in rescue missions across earthquake-stricken Turkey and Syria.

The Rescue Dog Hero pair are one of four duos who have been nominated for The Kennel Club Hero Dog Award 2024, which recognises unsung inspirational canines from across the country.

Darcy said: “Vesper is a puppy from a police breeding programme, all her siblings are successful police dogs and Vesper did not have much ambition to bite as a police dog.

“She was re-educated and has all the capability, capacity and agility to do police work but her career was more for detection.

“Vesper is a life-saving canine, last year we went on international deployment for UK-ISAR (International Search and Rescue), where we go to other countries and help with their rescue missions.

“We have a team of up to 80 members who will be deployed and dogs are integral to that search task.

“Vesper will go over rubble or collapsed structure, indicate via scent through bark indication, that will go to the commander to see how we can affect the rescue.”

Judges from The Kennel Club, one of the UK’s largest dog welfare organisations, selected the four inspiring finalists to go to the public vote, which went live this week.

Other nominees include a Golden Retriever who helps her 25-year-old para sailor owner live her life to the fullest and a hearing dog who supports his young owner through hearing loss and the anxiety that comes with it.

The winner will be announced by double Paralympic champion Libby Clegg at the Birmingham NEC and on Channel 4 on Sunday 10 March to round off a brilliant Crufts 2024 week.

Darcy added: “Myself and Vesper are part of 14 Fire and Rescue Services that make up UK-ISAR, the canines are very integral to that.

“We were relocated to other jobs because of the level of devastation, we were deployed through many search and rescue missions for the people of Turkey and Syria.

“Crufts is more than a dog show, it celebrates what our dogs do for us and we need to showcase what they do for the UK nations and abroad.

“I have shown Cocker Spaniels at Crufts before but I have never been nominated for an award like this.

“Vesper will do her stuff and be awesome and hopefully take all the attention off me because this is a celebration not of what we are as a partnership but the work that she does for us.”

Crufts, which celebrates dogs from all walks of life, takes place from 7-10 March at the NEC in Birmingham and tickets are available at crufts.org.uk