Christmas came early for the team last November when we heard that against strong competition we had been chosen for an award from the Scottish and Southern Electricity Network Resilient Communities Fund. The incredibly generous grant of £10,066.00 will be used to improve the digital radio and data network coverage in East Dorset.  The Team are extremely grateful for this significant award that will improve our ability to communicate across rural areas and the resilience of our response to emergency events.

 

Dorset Search Dogs were among a number of local charities who benefitted from the 2017 round of grant funding. Lisa Doogan, Director of Customer Relationship Management for SSEN said:

 

“I’m delighted to see that this latest round of applications and awards covers a broad spectrum of ways in which the SSEN Resilient Community Fund can help communities to boost their resilience. To provide the funding that enables them to equip themselves and prepare for adverse weather events including high winds, snow, lightning and flooding reflects our own message that we are always prepared and there to help our customers.

“I’m immensely proud of these organisations, and the work they do to improve the lives of those who live and work in the communities they represent.”

Media Links:

http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/15921852.dorset-flood-rescue-group-dog-charity-and-parish-councils-receive-grants-from-scottish-and-southern-electric-energy-resilience-fu/

http://news.ssen.co.uk/news/all-articles/2018/february/ssens-funding-boost-for-local-communities/

 

 

On a bitter cold day search teams from Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, Sussex and Surrey used specialist search skills in a simulated search scenario. Two of our dogs attended: Trainee Search Dogs Rufus with Handler Serena and Op Support Sheila and Trainee Search Dog Merla with Handler Kath and Op Support Laurence.

When the team arrived they ere briefed that a sunday school group had become split up during a game of hide and seek and 9 people were not accounted for. Both dogs were deployed to cover woodland search areas. The teams worked alongside foot searchers, water rescue, drone teams and other dog teams to cover an area of woodland, farm land and lakes. Our dogs showed that hard work and training is paying off when they both successfully located missing people in their search areas.

We send our thanks to Hampshire Search and Rescue for hosting this event providing an amazing opportunity to introduce our trainees to a live search environment. A special thank you is also extended to the wonderful people who gave up their Sunday and volunteered to act as missing people on such a cold day.

 

Dorset Search Dogs have received a donation of £2,750 from Talbot Village Trust to purchase life-saving first aid equipment.

Dorset Search Dogs, which is affiliated to Lowland Rescue, was presented with the funding by the grant-giving charity to purchase two Lowland Rescue First Responder kits, which includes automated external defibrillator (AED) equipment, as well as additional first aid training equipment.

Matt Cooke, chairman of Dorset Search Dogs, said: “We are extremely grateful for this generous donation made by Talbot Village Trust. This is something that we would not have been able to fund ourselves without their help. We obviously hope that we will not need to use the equipment on a regular basis, but given the nature, frequency and circumstances of our work, the equipment will undoubtedly help the team to save lives.”

Matt added that the team often work in remote areas with limited access to power or medical facilities, so if they find a missing person who requires immediate medical attention, they need to provide assistance until an ambulance arrives. He said that the Lowland Rescue First Responder kits would ensure that the team could respond to an incident using the full extent of their skills, including the use of the AED equipment.

Russell Lucas-Rowe, trustee of Talbot Village Trust, said: “We wanted to do all that we could to ensure that Dorset Search Dogs could continue to offer their exceptionally important work to help to look for missing people. It is a fantastic cause and we have no doubt that it proves invaluable to the emergency services when looking across woodland, farmland and along on the shoreline. We hope the charity will continue to operate for many years to come.”

Talbot Village Trust meets biannually, and will be accepting applications for funding from both previous and new applicants in the area before the Trustees meet in autumn of this year. Please go to www.talbotvillagetrust.org for more information.

Media Coverage: Daily Echo Report

 

Our fundraisers were delighted to receive a check for £200 from the Bournemouth Area Defibrillator (B.A.D) group. This generous donation came at the end of a talk from Wendy and Kath accompanied by a demonstration from  trainee search dogs Hattie and Merla.

The B.A.D group supports patients who have complex Cardiac problems, many of whom have suffered Cardiac arrests and have subsequently undergone a procedure to have a Implantable Cardiovertor Defibrillator implanted. The group also  recently raised money to purchase a defibrillator for Hengistbury Head.

 

Sunday 3rd June 2018 was a very hot day but nevertheless Sarah and Finley passed their Level 2 requalification to remain a key operational member – going out in all weathers to save life and limb!  Their performance was described as “brilliant”.

Search Dog Finley and handler Sarah undertook the hour long assessment to maintain their operational status. The very dry and hot conditions present a real challenge for detecting scent and made the task of finding people  harder for search dog Finley . But he was not deterred by this and with his expert nose and Sarah’s direction found all three people.  Throughout the search Finley’s welfare was monitored by giving him  water and rest  breaks.

Handler Sarah sent her thanks to all the team members who have volunteered their time to help  train Finley and to Steve for providing operational support and transport.

Dorset Search Dogs extend their warm thanks to Berkshire Search Dogs for hosting the event and to the Natioal Assessors and volunteer Dogs Bodies

 

AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon with the same products, prices and shopping features as Amazon.co.uk The difference is that when you shop on AmazonSmile, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the net purchase price (excluding VAT, returns and shipping fees) from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases.  Sign up to Amazon smile and choose Dorset Search Dogs as your charity.  Click to sign up

Sadly last month trainee search dog Harvey died from a brain tumour. Harvey was  a very cheeky cocker spaniel who loved to train. Harvey joined the team after completing the Beginner and Intermediate course, he continued his training as a level one dog and was showing great promise. The team send their condolences to handler Nick and partner Sarah at this sad time.

Deciding to turn her paw to something new  this summer, trainee search dog Hattie appeared in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as a tearaway dog in the Toot Sweet scene.

Hattie joined the cast of The Bournemouth and Boscombe Light Opera Company  in their spectacular summer holiday production at the Bournemouth Pavilion. She appeared in 9 performances with a  pack of dogs who  dashed across the stage  alarming  Lord Scrumptious and the sweet factory workers.

Along with her best mate Fred the Pug and three other stage dogs their performance was noted in the Dorset Echo review “the appearance of real dogs was the icing on the cake for the younger members of the audience. ”

Hattie has continued  with her  search dog training.  Dorset Echo Review

 

 

This Sunday  the church at Hinton Martell was full of creatures great and small including  two trainee search dogs .  The congregation of  the animal blessing service included dogs, cats, and a tortoise who all  listened intently to our presentation about search dogs. It was a lovely service giving thanks for the joy that animals bring to our lives and finished  with  the animals each  receiving a blessing from the reverend Suzie Allen.

The service has been a long established  tradition going back to  1954 when Canon Barnard pioneered this unique service and Blessing for animals at St. John the Evangelist Church, Hinton Martel.

We were delighted  to be invited as guest speakers by the charity Animals’ Voice an Educational Trust and Wildlife Rescue based in Hampshire who campaign against cruelty to animals and rescue sick and injured animals from the New Forest. We send our thanks to the Chairman Mrs Betty Price  and the Congregation for the generous donation  made to Dorset Search Dogs.

Click to read more about the Animals’ Voice Charity HERE

 

Congratulations to Serena and Matt who passed the Lowland Rescue First Responder course this weekend. The course is  run by the  Lowland Rescue Medical Faculty a multi-disciplinary team of  experienced pre-hospital care practitioners. The training includes classroom sessions, skills stations, and indoor and outdoor simulation. The course, accredited by the Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, equips responders to deliver high quality, evidence-based pre-hospital care from the first point of contact with Lowland Rescue teams, prior to handing over to emergency services colleagues.