If your dog has been lost and you have gotten in touch with one of our Regional Co-ordinators, this is what you can expect.
FIRST: The Regional Co-ordinator will respond personally to you within 24hours. They will have further questions to ascertain the next steps, including whether we are the best people to help with your search. If our Operational dogs are not deemed suitable to assist with the search for your dog, then we will still help in whatever way we can.
If we can help, we will progress with the following:
- The Co-ordinator will contact one or more Operational Tracking Teams and any other volunteers to create an Active Search Team. You will be added to a group chat with this team, usually using WhatsApp. Communication is vital to a successful search, so please be prepared to be available for questions and updates.
- The Active Search Team will identify likely areas to search, and determine the immediate course of action based on the circumstances and environment, vulnerability status of your dog (and risk status for the search dogs), and any reported sightings.
- Tracking will be arranged with the Operational dogs and handlers, using a scent item to identify your dog.
- If you haven’t already, we can help and advise on the best information for Lost Dog Posters.
- We know you will be concerned and anxious for your dog. Our Active Search Team will be able to give you advice about the best way to search for your dog yourself; this information may seem unusual sometimes, but it is based on real-life experience and understanding of dog behaviour patterns in this circumstances, and will also increase the ability of our Operational Tracking dogs and handlers to find your dog. All advice is aimed at ensuring you and your dog can be reunited.
Please note our process can take time, but this is to ensure an effective search, and for the safety and wellbeing of your dog as well as for our Operational dogs and handlers.
All information is kept confidential within the Active Search team.