Image copyright @alexs_journey A nine-year-old boy’s drawing of a police dog that was stabbed while on duty, has sold for 1,320 to raise money for the child’s cancer treatment.
The picture of police dog Finn, injured apprehending a suspected armed robber, was drawn by Alex Goodwin and turned into a Christmas card.
The first set of several hundred cards quickly sold out so Alex decided to sell his original to raise more money.
Two top bidders decided both would pay-up and agreed one could keep it.
Image copyright BCH Police Dogs Alex, from Lutterworth, Leicestershire, was “devastated” when he read about the Hertfordshire police dog that was stabbed in Stevenage on 5 October. The dog’s handler PC Dave Wardell was also injured.
Through his police officer father, Alex began following Finn’s recovery on social media.
Alex is undergoing chemotherapy for Ewing Sarcoma, a type of bone cancer that affects fewer than 30 children in the UK each year. His father is trying to raise funds to help improve his son’s chances of survival.
The drawing inspired a Christmas card, packs of which were sold to raise money for “Alexander’s Journey” – the fund set up for his future treatment and rehabilitation.
When the cards sold out, they decided to auction the original.
Image copyright Rosie Lee It was organised by Finn’s Law, a group campaigning for law changes regarding injured police animals.
Two bidders went “head-to-head”, finally pledging 660 each.
“The other man said, ‘I can see you really want this, let’s both pay, but you can have the drawing’,” said Rosie Lee, who ended up with the picture.
Image copyright BCH Police Dogs The special constable had been following the boy’s story as she works for Warwickshire Police, the same force as Alex’s father, PC Jeff Goodwin.
“He’s an amazing brave boy and I’m touched that I can help in some way and support Jeff as a member of the police family,” she said.
The picture would take “pride of place” in her home, she added.
Image copyright Dave Wardell/@ChairWarkPolFed Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-38092762
