With yellow, gold and crimson leaves
police dog Finn was chasing thieves
his trusted handler by his side
the wind whipped up around the eaves.
For seven years he’s shared the ride
his handler smiles and brims with pride
a home with kids, a loving wife
taking risks all in their stride.
The fugitive produced a knife
swinging ’round, making a dive
this night will be remembered here
for Finn who nearly lost his life.
His handler fought his worst felt fears
his words spilled out in unshed tears
Finn’s suffering was hard to bear
when reaching out, support appears.
We share and tweet and click and share
hoping that someone, somewhere
will join us here and do the same
make a difference, show we care.
Make new laws in brave Finn’s name
protect the dogs, that’s our aim
we all can help, roll up our sleeves
support Finn’s Law and change the game.
© Xenia Tran
Frank at dVerse Poets invites us to create a ruba’i (a classical Persian quatrain or double couplet with 13-syllable lines with a rhyme scheme of aaaa or aaba) or a Rubaiyat (a collection of more than one quatrain, frequently made up of 10-syllable or 8-syllable lines). The prompt stays open until 28th February.
Finn’s Rubaiyat is an interlocking Rubaiyat and tells the story of police dog Finn, who was seriously injured when apprehending an offender while on duty with his handler Dave Wardell. Finn’s life was thankfully saved by Dave’s quick-thinking colleagues, an expert team of vets, four hours of surgery and the devoted care of his handler. Dave’s book ‘Fabulous Finn’ tells the story of what happened and Finn’s long road to recovery. Dave believes that Finn’s actions saved his life that night. He was disappointed to learn, in the aftermath, that police dogs are not protected by law. He wanted to use his experience to change that and ensure that police dogs, police horses and other service animals were receiving the protection they deserve.
The campaign for Finn’s Law quickly gathered enough momentum to pass through three Parliamentary readings. It passed its second reading at the House of Lords on Friday 1st March and is scheduled to go before the House of Lords Committee on 19th March 2019.
If you want to show your support you can do so via the hashtags #FinnsLaw #FinnForChange and #FabulousFinn and via Finn’s own Twitter Handle @K9Finn. Dave is on Twitter during #FinnHour (8-9 pm GMT).
I posted a review of Dave Wardell’s (and Lynn Barrett-Lee’s) book ‘Fabulous Finn’ on Goodreads. The book is beautifully written and gives a great insight into the valuable work our police dogs and their human handlers do.
We wish you all a beautiful new week!
With love from Eivor, Pearl and Xenia xxx
Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.
dVerse Poets: Poetry Forms – The Rubaiyat
Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #34: Close Up
We are delighted to report that, after passing all its parliamentary stages, Finn’s Law was given Royal Assent late on Monday, 8th April 2019. It has now become an official part of the Animal Welfare Law in England and Wales.
Wonderful poem, Xenia. What a story! Poor Finn. I’m so glad his handler wrote this book and I hope the proposed law will be mandated! Brave animals should receive the same status as brave people! xxx
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Thank you so much for your kind words dear Liesbet and we totally agree 🙂💜 We’re so glad he wrote this book too and hope Finn’s Law will be here to stay 🙂🐾💖🐾 xxx
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A wonderful poem, Xenia, and a brave dog! Thank you for posting this and may the law work!
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Thank you dear Ann-Christine, we’re keeping our fingers and paws crossed! 🙂🐾💖🐾🍀 xxx
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Finn, you are a hero,
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Thank you dear Jeanne, we’ll let him know 🤗🐾💖🐾 xxx
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Please give him some hugs and kisses for me too. 🙂
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Will do! 🤗🐾💖🐾 xxx
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Wonderful poem, Xenia 💖 So glad Finn was saved, these dogs need the protection of the law. Fingers crossed for a positive outcome on the 1st March 🐕🤞🏼xxx
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Thank you so much for your kind words dear Cathy, fingers crossed here too 💜🤞 Hope you had a great day and much love to you and Finn from all of us here 🤗🐾💖🐾 xxx
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I did, thank you 🤗 Much love to you from Finn and me 💖🐕xxx
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Thank you Finn and Cathy 🙂💖🐕 xxx
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❤
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Thank you dear Martha 🙂💖🐕 xxx
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What a beautiful tribute, Xenia…I’m so glad Finn made it through and may have effected change through his bravery!
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Thank you so much for your kind words dear Kim 🙂💖🐕 xxx
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My pleasure (always!)!
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That is some dog! Wonderful story.
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Thank you dear Laurie, he’s amazing 🙂💖🐕 xxx
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Please let us know what happens at the second reading. Finn–you are a hero!
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Thank you dear Lois, we’ll keep you posted! 🙂💖🐕 xxx
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Word fail me. This poem really moved me as I was with Finn every step of the way. Thank you Xenia.
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Thank you so much for your kind words dear Anne and much love to you and Biasini from all of us here 🙂💖🐎 xxx
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A poem for a cause, I love it.
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Thank you dear Amy 🙂💖🐕 xxx
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Great poetry! You’ve captured all the drama of the event and told a fine story. 🙂
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Thank you so much for your kind words dear Jo 🙂💖 xxx
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Very nice sound in the poem. And well presented description of Finn.
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Thank you so much for your kind words Frank 🙂
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Thanks for helping to illuminate these important topics for us.
Here in the U.S., the Federal Law Enforcement Animal Protection Act passed last year now makes it a federal crime to assault a police dog or horse, punishable by fines and imprisonment.
It’s the very least we can do in return for these animals’ service to humankind.
Long overdue, I say.
Seek peace,
Paz
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Thank you so much for your kind words dear Paz and I agree, it’s long overdue. I’m glad to hear the Federal Law Enforcement Animal Protection Act was passed in the US last year and hope we can have its local equivalent passed soon too 🙂💜🐕
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A beautiful poem, Xenia. Brave Finn! Yes, this is the least thing we can do for them. xxx
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Thank you so much for your kind words dear Amy 🙂💖🐕 xxx
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This was a wonderful poem, Xenia! And so glad to hear that there are efforts to protect service animals in the way they deserve.
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Thank you so much for your kind words dear Amy 💜 Fingers crossed the law will soon pass and offer these beautiful service animals the protection they deserve 🙂💖🐕 xxx
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Dogs Rescue
Cats Rescue
Animals
Rescue
Us Back
to: Human
From: Nature of Love..
NoW Bless all the Children
And Beasts Before they Fade
Away and
Return
NoW As Furry
Angels No Longer
Afraid oF LoVinG NaTuRE ALL..:)
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Thank you Fred, much love from all of us here 🙂💜🐕
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Much Love to all of you too.. please give
Each Dog three Pets
From me.. 😃😇🌷
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Thank you Fred and thank you from Eivor and Pearl too 🤗🐾💖🐾
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They at very Welcome.😃🌲
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