Our Lost Dog Tracking Teams are volunteers. If you’re interested in getting involved, please take a look at the information below. You can get in touch with either the regional co-ordinator for your area, or if there isn’t anyone currently running a team in your area, you can contact us here.
All of our certified Lost Dog Tracking (LDT) dogs are pets, first and foremost, who have been trained by their dedicated handlers. There is no breed or size restriction, but certain physical and mental attributes mean some dogs are more suited to this kind of training. Extensive training is required to meet the high standards expected of Operational Dog and Handlers.
Operational Dog and Handler Teams
Do you think you and your dog have what it takes to become an Operational LDT team? Becoming a volunteer Operational dog and handler is a big commitment. Regional teams all have slightly different requirements, but generally you should expect:
- Before joining an operational team, you and your dog must be certified to Lost Dog Tracking Level Three (or equivalent standard as managed by approved regional teams)
- Be prepared to attend regular training and participate in active searches
- Operational dogs and handlers should be prepared to be “on-call” on a regular basis, available to join an active search in your area, no matter what the conditions (unless otherwise agreed with your regional/team co-ordinator)
- Be a strong team player
We run regular free Zoom sessions that cover the requirements for those considering training, and these sessions are open to questions. Please keep an eye on our social media channels to sign up!
Other Volunteer Roles
We have a variety of other volunteer roles for those who would like to get involved but cannot take on an Operational Dog and Handler role. Commitment levels for these roles can vary, but you should be prepared to attend appropriate training sessions and be a team player.
Each regional team has different volunteer roles depending on their team and area. Contact your local team to see what roles they may have available. Some examples are listed here!
- Tracklayers: our Operational dogs and handlers train regularly, and almost all teams will appreciate volunteers who are happy to lay a track for the dogs to train on! In agreement with your local team, you and your dog may be asked to lay and record a track in a certain area or during certain weather conditions, at a certain time prior to a scheduled training session. This can be an ideal role for a dog who doesn’t have the physical or mental attributes to become an Operational tracking dog, or is not yet Certified/has retired from their Operational role.
If you don’t have any extra time to commit, but would still like to assist, you can still Support Us in alternative ways.