On a bitter cold day search teams from Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, Sussex and Surrey used specialist search skills in a simulated search scenario. Two of our dogs attended: Trainee Search Dogs Rufus with Handler Serena and Op Support Sheila and Trainee Search Dog Merla with Handler Kath and Op Support Laurence.

When the team arrived they ere briefed that a sunday school group had become split up during a game of hide and seek and 9 people were not accounted for. Both dogs were deployed to cover woodland search areas. The teams worked alongside foot searchers, water rescue, drone teams and other dog teams to cover an area of woodland, farm land and lakes. Our dogs showed that hard work and training is paying off when they both successfully located missing people in their search areas.

We send our thanks to Hampshire Search and Rescue for hosting this event providing an amazing opportunity to introduce our trainees to a live search environment. A special thank you is also extended to the wonderful people who gave up their Sunday and volunteered to act as missing people on such a cold day.

We are delighted to share the news that Serena and Rufus passed their Lowland Rescue Level 2 Airscenting National Assessment to become an operational search dog team. All our search dogs and handlers have to pass the Lowland Rescue assessment to achieve operational status. This is a special achievement at the end of a difficult year with team training cancelled for much of the year due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Dorset Search Dogs have received a donation of £2,750 from Talbot Village Trust to purchase life-saving first aid equipment.

Dorset Search Dogs, which is affiliated to Lowland Rescue, was presented with the funding by the grant-giving charity to purchase two Lowland Rescue First Responder kits, which includes automated external defibrillator (AED) equipment, as well as additional first aid training equipment.

Matt Cooke, chairman of Dorset Search Dogs, said: “We are extremely grateful for this generous donation made by Talbot Village Trust. This is something that we would not have been able to fund ourselves without their help. We obviously hope that we will not need to use the equipment on a regular basis, but given the nature, frequency and circumstances of our work, the equipment will undoubtedly help the team to save lives.”

Matt added that the team often work in remote areas with limited access to power or medical facilities, so if they find a missing person who requires immediate medical attention, they need to provide assistance until an ambulance arrives. He said that the Lowland Rescue First Responder kits would ensure that the team could respond to an incident using the full extent of their skills, including the use of the AED equipment.

Russell Lucas-Rowe, trustee of Talbot Village Trust, said: “We wanted to do all that we could to ensure that Dorset Search Dogs could continue to offer their exceptionally important work to help to look for missing people. It is a fantastic cause and we have no doubt that it proves invaluable to the emergency services when looking across woodland, farmland and along on the shoreline. We hope the charity will continue to operate for many years to come.”

Talbot Village Trust meets biannually, and will be accepting applications for funding from both previous and new applicants in the area before the Trustees meet in autumn of this year. Please go to www.talbotvillagetrust.org for more information.

Media Coverage: Daily Echo Report

With profound sadness, we share the news of the passing of Search Dog Hattie. Her remarkable dedication and life-saving contributions have left an indelible mark on all of us.

Hattie’s extraordinary skills and enthusiasm for search and rescue missions will forever be etched in our hearts. She brought hope to countless families in their times of need.

“Hattie was a determined search dog.  Her boundless energy both in training scenarios and on searches for vulnerable missing people was second to known.  Initially being qualified in March 2019 she attended her first callout the very next day with handler Wendy.  As a Level 2 dog, she has helped the police and fellow volunteer searches clear great distances on routes and paths.

Hattie deployed on 59 occasions, supporting searches in Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire and Surrey.  That’s 59 occasions where they have helped to locate that missing dementia sufferer; the missing child; the missing despondent person, the injured walker and the missing victim of crime.  Each one of these searches ranged from a quick deployment through to a protracted search throughout several days.  This doesn’t include the additional occasions where Wendy and Hattie have travelled hundreds of miles to be stood down on route or prior to deployment.

Hattie was always eager to please.  My enduring memory of Hattie’s play drive and enjoyment of the search game was her early days of training.  As a trainee, having found her missing person she would run back to Wendy full of excitement, launch herself at Wendy and use her as a springboard to try and run back to the missing person as quickly as possible, hoping that Wendy would be following close behind.  By this stage, Wendy would normally be in a ditch, covered in mud and struggling to recover from Hattie’s excitement.

Once qualified, as a Level 2 Route and Path dog, Hattie was bomb-proof.  This is testament to Hattie’s ability and Wendy’s determination with her training.  For the years of hard work, Dorset Search Dogs and countless vulnerable individuals, their families, friends and colleagues are grateful.”

Stand Down Search Dog Hattie. Your duty is done, and you will be deeply missed.

Christmas came early for the team last November when we heard that against strong competition we had been chosen for an award from the Scottish and Southern Electricity Network Resilient Communities Fund. The incredibly generous grant of £10,066.00 will be used to improve the digital radio and data network coverage in East Dorset.  The Team are extremely grateful for this significant award that will improve our ability to communicate across rural areas and the resilience of our response to emergency events.

Dorset Search Dogs were among a number of local charities who benefitted from the 2017 round of grant funding. Lisa Doogan, Director of Customer Relationship Management for SSEN said:

“I’m delighted to see that this latest round of applications and awards covers a broad spectrum of ways in which the SSEN Resilient Community Fund can help communities to boost their resilience. To provide the funding that enables them to equip themselves and prepare for adverse weather events including high winds, snow, lightning and flooding reflects our own message that we are always prepared and there to help our customers.

“I’m immensely proud of these organisations, and the work they do to improve the lives of those who live and work in the communities they represent.”

Media Links:

http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/15921852.dorset-flood-rescue-group-dog-charity-and-parish-councils-receive-grants-from-scottish-and-southern-electric-energy-resilience-fu/

http://news.ssen.co.uk/news/all-articles/2018/february/ssens-funding-boost-for-local-communities/

Our fundraisers were delighted to receive a check for £200 from the Bournemouth Area Defibrillator (B.A.D) group. This generous donation came at the end of a talk from Wendy and Kath accompanied by a demonstration from  trainee search dogs Hattie and Merla.

The B.A.D group supports patients who have complex Cardiac problems, many of whom have suffered Cardiac arrests and have subsequently undergone a procedure to have a Implantable Cardiovertor Defibrillator implanted. The group also  recently raised money to purchase a defibrillator for Hengistbury Head.

Sunday 3rd June 2018 was a very hot day but nevertheless Sarah and Finley passed their Level 2 requalification to remain a key operational member – going out in all weathers to save life and limb!  Their performance was described as “brilliant”.

Search Dog Finley and handler Sarah undertook the hour long assessment to maintain their operational status. The very dry and hot conditions present a real challenge for detecting scent and made the task of finding people  harder for search dog Finley . But he was not deterred by this and with his expert nose and Sarah’s direction found all three people.  Throughout the search Finley’s welfare was monitored by giving him  water and rest  breaks.

Handler Sarah sent her thanks to all the team members who have volunteered their time to help  train Finley and to Steve for providing operational support and transport.

Dorset Search Dogs extend their warm thanks to Berkshire Search Dogs for hosting the event and to the Natioal Assessors and volunteer Dogs Bodies

Sadly last month trainee search dog Harvey died from a brain tumour. Harvey was  a very cheeky cocker spaniel who loved to train. Harvey joined the team after completing the Beginner and Intermediate course, he continued his training as a level one dog and was showing great promise. The team send their condolences to handler Nick and partner Sarah at this sad time.

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Deciding to turn her paw to something new  this summer, trainee search dog Hattie appeared in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as a tearaway dog in the Toot Sweet scene.

Hattie joined the cast of The Bournemouth and Boscombe Light Opera Company  in their spectacular summer holiday production at the Bournemouth Pavilion. She appeared in 9 performances with a  pack of dogs who  dashed across the stage  alarming  Lord Scrumptious and the sweet factory workers.

Along with her best mate Fred the Pug and three other stage dogs their performance was noted in the Dorset Echo review “the appearance of real dogs was the icing on the cake for the younger members of the audience. ”

Hattie has continued  with her  search dog training.  Dorset Echo Review