Choosing the Right Dog Search and Rescue Team
- nicky733
- Apr 9
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 3
The Safe Paws Network was set up primarily to help dog owners know what to do if their dog were to go missing. These words are from the owners of missing dogs.
“it’s so confusing for the lost dog owners in their blind panic & knowing what to do & who’s the most reliable ‘expert’ in that situation.”
“No, we don’t know what we’re doing & we’ve accepted advice from ‘experts’ & it seems contradictory if I’m honest for example why do they all mention drones but … "
“…and they fight between themselves which makes it worse for the owner as it’s constant toi-ng and fro-ing’"
The early hours and the initial actions MATTER when a dog is missing. Doris, who inspired the creation of this group, was seen coming back to the family car an hour after she went missing. Meanwhile her family was searching the area nearly all night. They never saw her alive again.
Posting on Facebook is a good step to take, and the advice will roll in, but WHO to listen to?
Canine Search experts call this the NOISE.
Dozens of people will post their own piece of advice. A lot of it will be good: ‘Stay where you are’, ‘contact DogLost’, contact ‘Drone SAR’ and so on. Plus the charlatans and glory hunters. But that’s the issue. HUNDREDS of responses, and many of them useful, just... too much! We all want to be supportive, but look at this from Rachel Greedy, a canine SAR expert from Somerset, on Facebook:
“Yet again we have 40+ comments for the family to try and read through…please folks, don’t do this when a dog goes missing, every notification is a false alarm for a worried family.’
Having some basic knowledge beforehand can help hugely, and knowing who the best SAR [search and rescue] people are in your area would be a great idea. It does vary from place to place, so we can’t tell you who it will be near to you. Here in Dorset I would suggest DogLost Dorset, via Facebook, and Eye in the Sky Drones, who have all-round expertise, not just drones, and work closely with DogLost. Be wary of others, who might offer to rush down with a huge team of searchers. That's not a wise approach.
“I suppose until someone’s dog actually goes missing, they wouldn’t really take much info in. So, it’s almost like as soon as that happens - where do they go?”
This infographic was made by LDRS. It’s excellent and we thank them for it. You will also need to work out who the right people are for your area. It also depends on the dog involved. For nervous dogs, including almost all foreign rescues, many of whom escape during the homing process or early in their adoption, a specialist trapping team will be required, such as LDRS. The work is very difficult and specialised, and people on the ground are kept to a minimum so as to avoid spooking the dog. The info below helps us understand various scenarios
BEWARE the 'theatre' of dog searching - If somebody says they're deploying a ground search team, drones and tracker dogs right from the start- DON'T be seduced. There's nothing better designed to scare your dog further away. When they're found it's likely to be DESPITE such groups, not because of them.
WHAT TO DO FIRST
A good next step is to register with www.doglost.co.uk wherever you are, in fact do this anyway, now. This means that should the worst happen, you only have to log in and say your pet is lost, and your local team should be in touch. However, everyone working for them is a volunteer, which tends to be the case for all good SAR teams, so the help available can vary from place to place. Equally, some areas have other excellent, trained teams or individuals. You’ll need to find them and work out what they are good at. We can’t check out every group in every area.
A FEW 'HOW TO CHOOSE' POINTERS
Do they promote the basic 'rules' that we do? We aren’t SAR experts, but have taken our advice directly from such teams, and it does apply to every search, though there will have to be differences in strategy that apply to individual locations and animals after the initial response.
What is their experience? Are they qualified? Many won’t have qualifications; there aren’t many courses out there, but they will have honed their expertise through time and searches. It’ll be proven.
Look at their Facebook page; does it report ACTUAL REUNITED DOGS that THEY have recovered? Does it show regular, informed posts that aren’t just shared from elsewhere?
BEWARE the 'glory-hunters' who will hone in on distraught owners, barging in determined to be the one that finds the dog. They can do more harm than good. There should be NO EGO in Canine SAR.
Message them, ask them what their expertise and experience are and check where they operate.
Ask if they charge for their services. If they do, avoid them. See our post on Scammers
Ask what resources they have. Advice and info on what to do at each stage of a search, templates for posters, access to an experienced thermal drone operator, remote cameras, maybe but rarely a dog tracking dog, and if or when appropriate, contacts with an expert trapping team.
The idea is that you, as owner, are at the heart of any search. You are the crucial lynchpin of this operation. Your team will advise and help with resources. It’s not their job to be on the ground day and night searching, though some do this tirelessly. Nevertheless, there is no substitute for the bonded owner to be there. Again, their time, expertise, methodology and resources will vary.
It’s all part of being a good dog safe-keeper. Be prepared:
KEEP THEM SAFE – BRING THEM HOME – EVERY SINGLE TIME
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