News

With profound sadness, we share the news of the passing of Search Dog Hattie. Her remarkable dedication and life-saving contributions have left an indelible mark on all of us.

Hattie’s extraordinary skills and enthusiasm for search and rescue missions will forever be etched in our hearts. She brought hope to countless families in their times of need.

“Hattie was a determined search dog.  Her boundless energy both in training scenarios and on searches for vulnerable missing people was second to known.  Initially being qualified in March 2019 she attended her first callout the very next day with handler Wendy.  As a Level 2 dog, she has helped the police and fellow volunteer searches clear great distances on routes and paths.

Hattie deployed on 59 occasions, supporting searches in Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire and Surrey.  That’s 59 occasions where they have helped to locate that missing dementia sufferer; the missing child; the missing despondent person, the injured walker and the missing victim of crime.  Each one of these searches ranged from a quick deployment through to a protracted search throughout several days.  This doesn’t include the additional occasions where Wendy and Hattie have travelled hundreds of miles to be stood down on route or prior to deployment.

Hattie was always eager to please.  My enduring memory of Hattie’s play drive and enjoyment of the search game was her early days of training.  As a trainee, having found her missing person she would run back to Wendy full of excitement, launch herself at Wendy and use her as a springboard to try and run back to the missing person as quickly as possible, hoping that Wendy would be following close behind.  By this stage, Wendy would normally be in a ditch, covered in mud and struggling to recover from Hattie’s excitement.

Once qualified, as a Level 2 Route and Path dog, Hattie was bomb-proof.  This is testament to Hattie’s ability and Wendy’s determination with her training.  For the years of hard work, Dorset Search Dogs and countless vulnerable individuals, their families, friends and colleagues are grateful.”

Stand Down Search Dog Hattie. Your duty is done, and you will be deeply missed.