Dickin Medal Recipient. Born in Birmingham in the West Midlands, Peter's first owner was Audrey Stables, who noted he was both destructive and disobedient. Late in the Second World War, his care was transferred to Air Ministry dog-handler Archie Knight at the Civil Defense depot in Chelsea where he was given the designation Rescue Dog No. 2664/9288 Peter. He was trained as a search and rescue dog in London where they saw duty often in ten and twenty hour shifts. A report written at the time stated he often worked with little sleep and "...never once refused to give all he had." In 1945, he was awarded a PDSA Dickin Medal, the citation for which read: "For locating victims trapped under blitzed buildings while serving with MAP (Ministry of Aircraft Production) attached to Civil Defence of London." His work was regarded as exemplary, and in 1946, at the Civil Defense Stand–Down parade in Hyde Park, he was presented to King and Queen; a young Princess Elizabeth thanked him for his service with a kiss on the nose. Following his wartime duty, he was used in training to demonstrate mountain rescue techniques. He was eventually returned to Mrs Stables, and then moved to a PDSA animal sanctuary before his death at age 11.
Dickin Medal Recipient. Born in Birmingham in the West Midlands, Peter's first owner was Audrey Stables, who noted he was both destructive and disobedient. Late in the Second World War, his care was transferred to Air Ministry dog-handler Archie Knight at the Civil Defense depot in Chelsea where he was given the designation Rescue Dog No. 2664/9288 Peter. He was trained as a search and rescue dog in London where they saw duty often in ten and twenty hour shifts. A report written at the time stated he often worked with little sleep and "...never once refused to give all he had." In 1945, he was awarded a PDSA Dickin Medal, the citation for which read: "For locating victims trapped under blitzed buildings while serving with MAP (Ministry of Aircraft Production) attached to Civil Defence of London." His work was regarded as exemplary, and in 1946, at the Civil Defense Stand–Down parade in Hyde Park, he was presented to King and Queen; a young Princess Elizabeth thanked him for his service with a kiss on the nose. Following his wartime duty, he was used in training to demonstrate mountain rescue techniques. He was eventually returned to Mrs Stables, and then moved to a PDSA animal sanctuary before his death at age 11.
