Staff and customers at pet shop chain Jollyes are spending the next year fundraising to support the retirement of service animals, including police horses, and dogs working across the police, fire, border control and prison services.

Money raised is being donated to the National Foundation for Service Animals, which supports the animals, which do not receive any additional funds from the services they worked for once retired.

Due to their age and training affordable insurance is a key concern for the pets’ owners with donations used to help the charity cover the cost of their care.

Since the charity launched three years ago it has handed out £100,000 of grants to animals’ owners.

During the fundraising customer donations will be matched by Jollyes, which will be used as guests of honour when new stories are opened. This has already happened at store openings in Leyland, Cardiff and East Kilbride.

The first £5,000 donation through the partnership has now been handed to the charity.

The partnership will help “ensure our heroic retired service animals are guaranteed the happy, safe, and above all healthy retirement they deserve,” said a statement from the charity.

Jollyes chief executive Joe Wykes added: “It’s been a great to start to our partnership with the Foundation. Our colleagues and customers understand the importance of the work they do for the animals who spend their working lives protecting us.”

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