Search and rescue dogs practise by scouring Sherwood Park rubble
A group of search-and-rescue dogs combed through a Sherwood Park rubble heap Sunday in preparation for wilderness and disaster deployments.
“You take them onto concrete, wood, rebar … on these surfaces that are uncomfortable and unstable,” said Richard Lee, executive director of the Canadian Search and Disaster Dog Association (CASDDA).
The training day coincided with the 2017 International Day of Rescue Dogs, as designated by the United Nations. Lee explained that around 20 dogs completed training exercises on flat ground for two days before moving on to the wreckage at Visco Demolition Contractors Ltd., located at 12030 28 St.
On Sunday, dogs had to sniff through debris to find victims, played by volunteer actors.
“These seminars are extremely ... stressful for the dogs and the handlers,” Lee said, explaining it will help them save lives in the field. “What I like to see is a dog who is confident, they might be a little taken aback by something they don’t know … but I like to see a quick recovery.”
He said the dogs need to operate as independently as possible — “the handler takes a back seat.”
Lee’s Edmonton-based group, which has around 30 canine members, is the only Canadian organization that deploys searchand-rescue dogs internationally, he said.
Since 2005, dogs have searched for survivors after devastating earthquakes in Nepal and the Philippines as well as in the 2016 aftermath of hurricane Matthew in Haiti. But the dogs also regularly work within Canada to conduct search-and-rescue operations, whether it’s to find a lost hiker in the wilderness or a potential drowning victim.
“Mainly we are looking for dogs that are extremely driven,” he said, noting they need stable temperaments. “We like dogs that tug, play fetch and love to play more than anything.”