Search dogs for tracking lost people

New search dogs for lost people

We are taking the lead in dog training, as the first police force in the country to train dogs to specifically search for people who are lost or who have gone missing.

Our police dog handlers have trained three springer spaniels and one Brittany dog to hunt for lost or missing people who might be in danger. Since July, they have already been successful in saving lives as well as police resources.

Hundreds of people are reported as lost each year, with the most common incidents involving elderly people wandering off from care homes or people becoming disorientated when walking on places such as the moors.

Traditionally, we have used German shepherd dogs which possess a range of specialist search skills but are used mainly for tracking and stopping criminals.

The spaniels differ in skill because they are trained to bark when they find someone; they run backwards and forwards between the person and their handler, eventually leading the handler to their find.

Clover, a fifteen-month-old spaniel, has already found two missing people, including one young woman who had run away from a care home, and was scared of large dogs. Clover found her, making it far less traumatic than if a German shepherd had been deployed.

Police Dog Inspector Andy Lilburn said: “Our existing general purpose dogs are fantastic at what they do but vulnerable people are often scared when confronted by a German shepherd dog.

“Spaniels have a very friendly temperament so are perfect for these types of searches. They work well with people and other animals. They have a lot of stamina and are keen working dogs which is crucial when searching for long periods of time."