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GUERNSEY is to have its first ever team of civil search dogs.
Search Dogs Guernsey is a new not-for-profit initiative being launched today by two dog trainers Anna Jane Brehaut and Sam Smillie.
The team of 10 dogs and their handlers have been trained to track and trail lost dogs following an intense year of training.
Completing three course levels with UK instructor Claire Brown, of North K9, all the dogs and their handlers have recently passed their assessments to work in the field.
‘This is a massive achievement for all of our volunteer handlers and their dogs,’ said Miss Brehaut.
‘They have all worked extremely hard and they have invested a lot of time and effort to get where they are now. We are so very proud of them all.’
The team of dogs include labradors Henry and Louis, spaniels Star, Lumi and Ramsey, spaniel cross Bella, German Shepherd Lycan, cockapoo Archie, Zuchon Lola and Australian labradoodle Max.
It will work closely with the GSPCA during lost dog searches.
Mrs Smillie, a graduate of the Missing Animal Response Field Course which specialises in lost pet recovery training, said the dogs have been taught scent discrimination so they can efficiently follow the scent of an individual dog. This ability to pursue a scent is invaluable in the search of a lost pet, she added.
‘The dogs will provide information in a search by establishing a direction of travel, they can confirm sightings, point out areas of interest and in rare cases, they can make a walk up find.’
Miss Smillie, who also holds a Search Dog Handler Diploma, added: ‘We would like to give a huge thanks to Claire from North K9 for coming to Guernsey to host her courses. Her tuition and support has been invaluable and we could not have done it without her.’
Ms Brown enjoyed her trips to Guernsey.
‘I have really enjoyed creating this team and training a set of such dedicated handlers and dogs,’ she said.
‘They have worked extremely hard and I look forward to seeing their success in the future.’
As City and Guilds Assured Scent Detection Dog Handlers and World Scent Dog Association Instructors, Miss Brehaut and Mrs Smillie recognised the need for a search dog team in the island around five years ago.
They have been asked to help in the search of missing pets previously, however no local dogs had been trained to specifically track and trail in this way up until now.
‘Tracking and trailing is a different ball game to detection,’ Miss Brehaut explained. ‘There are of course many similarities but the dogs have to be specifically trained. It has been hard to not be able to help previously, we have really wanted to, but to do it before the dogs were properly trained would not have been fair.
‘We also wanted to make sure that we had as much knowledge and qualifications behind us in order to lead the team.’
As the dogs are trained using scent discrimination, they could help in the search of other missing pets depending on circumstances, the pair said.
‘The plan is to continue training and developing our skill set. We are here to help wherever we can,’ added Miss Brehaut.
Should anyone lose their dog, the GSPCA should still be their first point of call.
‘Searches need to be coordinated efficiently and its important that everyone works together,’ Mrs Smillie added.
‘We have put together some informative hand-outs, which include what to do if your pet goes missing and what the public can do to help. It is vitally important that people understand lost pet behaviour so that searches are not hindered. At the end of the day all we want to do is reunite a lost dog with their owner as quickly as we can.’ GSPCA Manager Steve Byrne said the GSPCA were delighted to have met recently with Search Dogs Guernsey about how they can work together.
‘Thankfully of the 200 missing dogs each year most are quickly reunited but we have a few each year that are a little more challenging for various options and to have Search Dogs Guernsey to help in these circumstances will be hugely helpful during what can be a very stressful and upsetting time for the owners of a missing dog or animal.
‘If you do find or lose an animal it is important to notify the GSPCA as soon as possible so we are aware and we can firstly pop a post online to help and if it looks like we will need the assistance of Search Dogs Guernsey we can contact them and help coordinate any search in the best way for the missing animal.
‘Huge thanks to Search Dogs Guernsey for all their hard work and training to get their dogs able to help in these difficult circumstances and we look forward working together in the future if and when needed.’
For more information on Search Dogs Guernsey, people can visit their Facebook page, email searchdogsguernsey@gmail.com or call 07781 140602.
