Former stray Lawful Larry is new Dogwatch mascot

A FORMER stray dog has been put on the straight and narrow after being retrained as a police Dog Watch mascot.

Larry, a nine-year-old saluki, was nicknamed the Bacon Butty Burglar, thanks to his knack of stealing food.

But the former stray, who was also labelled the Houdini of the dog world because of his amazing talent to escape when confined indoors, is finally being given a chance in life.

As reported in the Crow, the scheme’s former mascot, Dog Watch Douglas, passed away in January. Larry will now take his place on Dog Watch duties in Royston and the surrounding villagers.

Owner Sarah Sheldrick said: “When he came to me, he was very, very underweight. He had hardly any fur and had a history of barking continuously and chasing people out of his kennel.

“He was also a bit of a thief because he had been starved. As well as his reputation as the Bacon Butty Burglar, he also had a reputation for biting through people’s pockets to get to treats.”

Lawful Larry now loves going on community Dog Watch walks, attending events and visiting schools.

“He’s a real character,” said Sarah. “He absolutely adores children, loves a good run and loves being groomed. He’s come on in leaps and bounds and will make a fantastic mascot.”