Flintshire officer and former combat medic ready to take on Three Peaks raising money for retired police dog charity
A Flintshire police officer and a former combat medic turned NHS nurse will attempt all three peaks of Great Britain in a single 24-hour window this Saturday to raise money for retired North Wales Police dogs.
PC Shannen Finnerty, from North Wales Police’s Flintshire North team, and Katie Roberts will set off from North Wales on Saturday morning and begin their ascent of Ben Nevis in the afternoon.
From there they travel south to Scafell Pike in Cumbria, then back into Wales to finish on Snowdon, or Yr Wyddfa.
The total challenge covers around 23 miles of walking, approximately 3,000 metres of ascent and 462 miles of driving between the three mountains.
They are raising money for Paws Off Duty, a registered charity that contributes towards veterinary and welfare costs for retired North Wales Police dogs.
Once a police dog retires, North Wales Police makes no further financial contribution to its care.
All costs fall to the handler or the person who re-homes the dog.
The charity distributed around £8,000 last year to help cover those bills.
PC Finnerty and Ms Roberts have raised £2,000 so far, with sponsored transport provided by RNW Towing and DMH Tyres.
Both women have personal experience of the cost of veterinary care.
Ms Roberts lost her own dog to diabetes last year.
PC Finnerty’s dog lives with complex allergies requiring ongoing treatment.
PC Finnerty said the pair chose March deliberately despite the conditions it brings.
“March is not the best time to take on the Three Peaks Challenge and we’ll likely face some adverse weather but we wanted to take on a real challenge because these dogs put their lives on the line for us everyday to keep our community safe.”
PC Finnerty said they became involved with the charity after speaking to Jacqui, its founder, who is still a serving dog handler with North Wales Police.
When she told them the charity was giving out around £8,000 a year to support retired dogs, they decided to act.
Paws Off Duty (registered charity number 1169997) supports dogs that retire through age, injury, illness or inability to continue their duties.
In most cases a retired police dog stays with its handler and becomes a family pet, though some are re-homed depending on breed and temperament.
Donations can be made via the fundraising page at gofund.me/ba7f16b36.
Check live fuel prices near you before you set off.
Spotted something? Got a story? Email news (@) deeside.com
NEW: Add Deeside.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Latest News
