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Mission statement: To reduce pain and suffering of the lost/missing and their loved ones. Dedicated to putting qualified dogs on scene and to deploying with the utmost professionalism in a cooperative effort to find the missing.
Mission statement: To reduce pain and suffering of the lost/missing and their loved ones. Dedicated to putting qualified dogs on scene and to deploying with the utmost professionalism in a cooperative effort to find the missing.
A Perfect Search, (Auri's first find, search with Auri @ 20 months old)
One summer evening, a woman with several medical issues and living in an urban area, had an argument with a family member and stormed off. As the night wore on, the family became concerned when the women did not return home and had gone several hours without her needed insulin and oxygen. Fearing the women may be in a state of medical emergency, the police were called. The sergeant on duty called in two of the department's patrol dogs and their handlers in hopes of getting a track on the woman. Since the department's dogs are trained aggressively for criminal apprehension, one of the handlers suggested bringing in my dog Auri, a nationally certified Search and Rescue (SAR) dog with whom he has trained and worked. Another K9 handler, who has also worked with Auri, knew to secure the scene, keeping scent contamination to a minimum.
A little after midnight, Auri and I arrived at the scene. Preferring not to have other searchers in the area just yet, I collected a scent article, scented Auri and set out with my son, an EMT, as my flanker. Auri set out with determination on a path that would prove to be entirely hard surface, sidewalk and street, some of the most difficult surfaces to hold scent. Fifteen minutes and a quarter mile later the woman was found by Auri, confused but seemingly OK. A Black Hawk helicopter with infrared en route to the scene was called off, more manpower was not needed, and the local police officers could get back to their night. The woman was brought home and reunited with her loved ones.
The entire incident from start to finish, took less than an hour. All parties involved were winners that night. The K9 handlers knew there was a SAR dog available and better suited to the needs of the search than their patrol dogs. The police chief was pleased his officers made the unselfish decision to call in another resource. I was grateful to be contacted by individuals willing to listen and do everything in their power to make sure my dog was deployed correctly. The woman's family was very happy that she was found in a timely manner and safely returned home.
The long hours of training pay off when we leave a scene such as this, knowing we have done our best, the dog has given its all, and we've played a role in a successful search. A big thank you to everyone involved in this, Auri's first perfect search.
We have since had many more successes in other well executed searches and would like to thank the deploying agencies in each case for a job well done. Whether finding a missing person or locating a body, the initial response by officers and agencies plays a crucial role in how successful a dog will be.
A little after midnight, Auri and I arrived at the scene. Preferring not to have other searchers in the area just yet, I collected a scent article, scented Auri and set out with my son, an EMT, as my flanker. Auri set out with determination on a path that would prove to be entirely hard surface, sidewalk and street, some of the most difficult surfaces to hold scent. Fifteen minutes and a quarter mile later the woman was found by Auri, confused but seemingly OK. A Black Hawk helicopter with infrared en route to the scene was called off, more manpower was not needed, and the local police officers could get back to their night. The woman was brought home and reunited with her loved ones.
The entire incident from start to finish, took less than an hour. All parties involved were winners that night. The K9 handlers knew there was a SAR dog available and better suited to the needs of the search than their patrol dogs. The police chief was pleased his officers made the unselfish decision to call in another resource. I was grateful to be contacted by individuals willing to listen and do everything in their power to make sure my dog was deployed correctly. The woman's family was very happy that she was found in a timely manner and safely returned home.
The long hours of training pay off when we leave a scene such as this, knowing we have done our best, the dog has given its all, and we've played a role in a successful search. A big thank you to everyone involved in this, Auri's first perfect search.
We have since had many more successes in other well executed searches and would like to thank the deploying agencies in each case for a job well done. Whether finding a missing person or locating a body, the initial response by officers and agencies plays a crucial role in how successful a dog will be.