Search & Rescue Dog Association - SARDA

Has anyone on here every trained a Search & Rescue Dog?

I have just finished reading "Rangi" - a book about the very first Search & Rescue Dog in the Highlands (a GSD ), and his owner, Hamish McInnes, who is the founder of SARDA (Search & Rescue Dog Association).

It made very interesting reading and I am in awe of the men, women and their dogs who take to the hills, mountains and moorlands of the UK, often putting their own lives in danger, to save others.

Amazing!

Could a Mod please change the thread title on the main page to SARDA (in capitals), as they are initials. Thanks.

Next time you take Flame to hydro (if you can ever get it booked!) you must talk to Tom about this. His work with search and rescue is amazing - he travels across the world training rescuers and their dogs.

His work covers all kinds of situations (not just mountain rescue but disaster scenarios too) and so the dogs need to start as pups to try to give them as much experience as they can.

Apparently a team in Australia he had worked with were responsible for saving the lives of 10 people (I think that's the correct number) following the recent fires when everyone else had given up all hope of finding survivors.

Given my time again, I think I'd have kept myself fit and got involved in this, but as it is, I'd go up to help and probably end up needing rescuing myself As and when I retire though, I could see me joining the lowland teams (there are some, including, I believe, one in the Borders).

Thanks Hali. I never even thought to ask Tom about his work last time (as I was so busy concentrating on Flame) but I have seen all his mightily impressive achievements on his webpage. I will definitely ask him. I bet he has loads of interesting stories.

I would love to do that too, but time constraints would prevent me from joining just now. I also believe (from enquiring with my local mountain rescue team back in Cumbria) that you have to be a member of the *normal* (non dog) team for at least two years before you can be considered for a dog

I knew you had to be a normal member first, didn't realise it was for 2 years though (but perhaps each team has slightly different rules?). I don't think the same applies to the lowland groups though as fitness/knowledge of the hills isn't an issue since much of their work takes place in non-rurual locations.

Hurray - I have managed to book Flame in for hydrotherapy next week - so will be giving Tom the third degree Thanks for reminding me about his work Hali.

I'll tell you what the training is like when I get to New Zealand

Excellent Chris - I would love to know how you get on. Whereabouts in NZ are you moving to?

Going to South Island, exact location TBA. Will know more closer to the time - around July/August.