International Disaster Emergency Advisor - IDEA

WHEN DOES A HOBBY BECOME AN OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY?

There is a world of difference between enjoying scent work with your dog and claiming that your dog is suitable for operational search and rescue.

I want to address something that I feel very strongly about. Not because I want to discourage anyone from enjoying activities with their dogs, but because I believe there comes a point where professional responsibility, animal welfare and public safety must take priority over personal ambition.

Anyone who knows me knows how passionate I am about scent work, tracking, mantrailing and search dogs.

I actively encourage people to participate in these activities. They provide fantastic mental stimulation, confidence, fulfilment and opportunities to develop a stronger relationship with your dog.

But there is a line, and that line is crossed when recreational training is presented as operational capability without the appropriate standards, assessments and safeguards.

An operational search dog is not simply a dog that enjoys searching or has completed a few training sessions.

These dogs may be required to work in challenging terrain, around water, in unpredictable environments and alongside other emergency personnel. Their handlers and the organisations deploying them have a responsibility to ensure they are physically and mentally capable of carrying out those tasks safely.

Now, let’s talk about dogs with medical conditions.

A dog diagnosed with a neurological condition such as epilepsy may still enjoy recreational scent work, subject to appropriate veterinary advice. I have absolutely no issue with that. In fact, I would encourage suitable activities that allow the dog to enjoy a fulfilling life.

But operational search and rescue? That is an entirely different conversation.

What responsible search and rescue organisation would knowingly accept a dog with a potentially unpredictable seizure condition into an operational role without compelling veterinary evidence, a thorough risk assessment and clear confirmation that the risks could be safely managed?

And even then, some risks may simply be unacceptable.

What happens if that dog suffers a seizure while searching difficult terrain, working near water or operating in an environment where immediate veterinary assistance is unavailable?

What happens to the handler? The other search team members? The search operation itself? And, most importantly, the welfare of the dog?

The same concerns must be considered when discussing therapy dog work, particularly where dogs are interacting with vulnerable members of the public.

And what about insurance?

Has the medical condition been fully disclosed? Has the insurer confirmed that the dog is covered for the specific activities being undertaken? Would the organisation be prepared to accept the associated responsibilities?

These are questions that need proper answers, not assumptions.

I sometimes wonder whether there are too many egos involved in the dog training world and not enough people prepared to say, “No, this is not appropriate for this particular dog.”

There seems to be an increasing desire to attach operational titles to dogs and handlers without always appreciating the responsibilities those titles carry.

Not every dog needs to be an operational search dog.

Not every dog is suitable to be an operational search dog.

And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Sometimes the most professional thing a trainer can do is tell an owner what they need to hear, rather than what they want to hear.

Having spent many years training and working dogs in demanding operational environments, I firmly believe that knowing when NOT to deploy a dog is just as important as knowing how to train one.

I am not interested in taking away anyone’s enjoyment of scent work. There is room for everyone to participate, learn and develop.

But I am interested in protecting dogs, handlers, other team members and members of the public from unnecessary and foreseeable risks.

Search and rescue is not a hobby once you start accepting responsibility for finding missing people.

At that point, your decisions can have serious consequences, and potentially affect lives.

If you are not prepared to put animal welfare, operational safety, competence and accountability before personal ambition or ego, then you have no business making operational deployment decisions.

A dog’s welfare should never be sacrificed to satisfy a human ego.

And that is a line I will never compromise on.

Simon Chapman
K9 Manhunt & ScentWork Scotland

www.k9manhuntscotland.co.uk

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