Search Dog Izzy, Surrey SAR.
Lowland Rescue teams have received a generous donation from Sniffer Dogs UK & International (SDUKI), to help towards training and equipment for search dogs.
SDUKI is a registered charity, formed in 2011, which raises funding for police and SAR dogs in the UK.
SDUKI spokesperson Maggie Gwynne says, “SDUKI was set up in direct response to the slashing of police budgets by successive governments. We aim to provide funding for any canine unit to help them maintain their operational resilience. We are now engaged with SAR units across the UK.”
Recent donations by SDUKI have included £1000 of kit, including bespoke paramedic bags and a full set of torches, to Hampshire Search Dogs, and £500 for kit to Surrey Search & Rescue.
Lowland Rescue spokesperson Andy MacAuley says, “The generous donation from SDUKI will ease some of the burden on our dogs and handlers, who have to provide their own equipment as well as spend time fundraising on top of their training commitment. Air scenting dogs are a hugely effective way of finding vulnerable missing people in the quickest possible time, and this support will help us continue to develop that capability.”
There are 43 operational search dogs in Lowland Rescue teams across the UK, and a further 100 in training. It takes around two years to train a search dog, and handlers can spend thousands of pounds in supporting that training. All Lowland Rescue members are voluntary, and donations such as this from SDUKI go towards facilitating assessments, training, protective gear for dogs and support equipment for rescuers.
