Roo's owner Jo Armstrong has been 'hooked' on volunteering with her dog from the moment she began training her, and the pair are now in high demand
Is there ever an ethical difficulty around looking for people who may not want to be found? “We do get people that don’t don’t wish to be found,” says Jo, “but then we just report back to the police about where the person is, and then it’s up to them. We are there to find the person. Lowland Rescue also has a very good medical team, so often they’ll stay with the missing person and wait for the ambulance.
With Roo’s ground-scenting training skills being in short supply in the UK, Jo gets phoned up for search missions whether she’s technically on call or not. She’s not always available as her day job is working as a carer, but she goes whenever she can. “Sometimes we don’t get a call-out for a few weeks,” she says, “and then suddenly you’ll get two or three call outs in a day. It’s very odd how it goes. I don’t know the rhyme or reason for it. Christmas is busier, though, people tend to be more vulnerable then, there’s more depression, more difficulty.”with Roo from the moment she began training her.
“It’s such an interesting thing to watch the dogs work trails,” she says. “If you think of the number of people out there walking around, and these dogs know that there is one missing person’s scent they are following. They know they have to ignore everyone else, all other smells from food shops, other dogs who have popped their legs up on signposts. They know to go after one specific trail.”Roo is a pro now, but it took a lot to get her to that point.
Training is key, but not all dogs have the right traits to start with. “You want the working-type dogs,” says Jo, “dogs with a really high play drive and a really good work ethic. She’ll do what she’s told, but she has a bit of arrogance to her too, because you need an independent dog who isn’t too obedient. They have to be able to insist that a person has gone a certain way, and to keep searching, not be too influenced by me.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Smithfield Market: The faces and spaces making up Belfast's hidden gemYou’ll meet plenty of characters and you never know what bargains you might find too!
Read more »
Narrowboat tours launch in DerbyThe trust behind the trips says they will operate at weekends on a specially-built boat.
Read more »
Owami Davies: Met investigated after police spoke to missing womanOwami Davies went missing on 4 July but had contact with police on 6 July, it has emerged.
Read more »
Owami Davies: Met investigated after police spoke to missing womanOwami Davies went missing on 4 July but had contact with police on 6 July, it has emerged.
Read more »
Maharashtra: Missing girl found after nine years recounts ordealThe Indian girl who went missing in 2013 speaks about her miraculous escape and joy at being back home.
Read more »