Animals & Us
David Raymond
A police dog handler's PTSD recovery shows what happens when the caregiver finally receives the care they have given others.
If this story feels close to home
You don't have to be in crisis to call.
David Raymond spent 36 years in the Queensland Police Service, 26 of them as a dog handler. He watched his mother experience domestic violence as a child, and it shaped his calling to become a police officer. A chance conversation while teaching karate led him into the Dog Squad, the most sought-after posting in Queensland Police, where he worked alongside five German Shepherds: Buddy, Zed, Vader, Axel, and Jet. Each dog had its own personality and taught him something different about the work.
The real work of a police dog is finding missing people and tracking offenders, not the bite demonstrations people see. David has located people on the edge of self-harm, including a young man hanging from swings whom he cut down and revived with CPR, and a woman who had taken medication and was lying on a riverbank with a crocodile stalking her. Without his dogs, those people would not be alive today. But the job takes a toll. After decades of attending difficult calls, David was diagnosed with PTSD about five years ago. Queensland Police allowed him to keep working with his dog during his recovery, understanding that the bond between handler and dog is essential to healing. The dog does not judge and offers unconditional love, which made all the difference.
Today, one of David's retired dogs, Axel, is remembered with a statue in the Aeroglen Dog Park near Cairns airport, and the park is named after David's predecessor. David has kept a diary since 1989, documenting his career through newspaper clippings and stories. A book about Vader, his third dog, is being published in October. His message is simple: recognise what police dogs do for the community, not just in law enforcement but in finding missing people and saving lives.
⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses domestic & family violence and suicide & self-harm prevention, which some listeners may find distressing.
If you need support, you're not alone. Help is available: • 1800RESPECT (family, domestic & sexual violence): 1800 737 732 · 1800respect.org.au • Lifeline (24/7 crisis support): 13 11 14 · lifeline.org.au
Every story here belongs to the person who lived it. They said yes to sharing it, and we sat with it carefully before it went up. Nothing here is exaggerated and nothing is used without permission. Read how we handle these stories ↗
Kintsugi Heroes · Registered Australian not-for-profit · kintsugiheroes.com.au ↗