Ginny & Barney Recognised As Finalists In The UK Service Dogs Awards 2026

Fire Investigations Dogs Ginny and Barney have been announced as a finalist in the prestigious UK Service Dogs Awards 2026, which will take place on Thursday 1 October 2026 at the UK Service Dogs Conference & Awards. The event celebrates the extraordinary contribution that service dogs and their handlers make to communities across the United Kingdom.

Selected by an independent panel of judges, Ginny and Barney were chosen from a large and highly competitive field of nominations submitted from across the UK. Reaching the final is a significant achievement and reflects the exceptional standards demonstrated by these remarkable dog partnerships.

Fire Investigation Dogs Ginny and Barney, working with handlers Dave Coss and Tim Marston, serve with Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, providing specialist fire investigation capability across the East Midlands Region, including Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire. Together, these two highly trained dogs and their handlers form an exceptional Fire Investigation Dog Team whose professionalism, resilience and commitment have become indispensable to both fire and police services.

Since 2022, Ginny and Barney have played a pivotal role in securing criminal justice outcomes, contributing to convictions totalling more than 411 years. Their work includes supporting major crime investigations, complex arson cases and high-risk deployments such as the murder investigation that resulted in a 44-year sentence — the longest for arson murder. To ensure evidential integrity, the dogs were deployed separately, demonstrating meticulous adherence to best practice. Despite operating as a job-share, Dave and Tim provide 24-hour cover, delivering around 360 operational days per year between them. Their influence extends further through training 100–150 firefighters and crime scene investigators annually, supporting university-led research, and assisting other fire and police services nationwide.

The UK Service Dogs Awards, a collaboration between charities Service Dogs UK and The National Foundation of Retired Service Animals (NFRSA), that recognises excellence across a wide range of service dog roles, including assistance, wellbeing, therapy, military, emergency services, rescue and lifesaving dogs, highlighting the profound impact these animals have on people's lives and wider society.

Being named a finalist is an honour. It reflects the dedication, professionalism, compassion and commitment that service dogs and their handlers demonstrate every day.

The event organisers said:

We are absolutely delighted that Ginny and Barney have been recognised as a finalist in the UK Service Dogs Awards for the Special Teams Award. To be selected by the judging panel from so many nominations is a tremendous achievement. This recognition highlights the incredible difference that service dogs make and acknowledges the outstanding standards that Ginny and Barney represent."

The UK Service Dogs Conference & Awards brings together organisations, practitioners, researchers, volunteers and supporters from across the sector to celebrate the life-changing impact of service dog partnerships. The awards ceremony forms part of a national event dedicated to recognising outstanding achievement, service and innovation throughout the service dog community.