Lowland Search Dogs (LS Dogs) is a non-profit, voluntary organisation formed in November 2002. The Kent unit (Lowland Search Dogs Kent) formed in 2009. You may be familiar with Mountain Rescue however Kent has no mountains, hence the term lowland. Lowland covers most open land, including farmland, parks, woodland and forest areas with rivers, ponds, lakes and areas right up to the coast, including cliffs.
Our aim is to locate missing and vulnerable people in order to alleviate the distress and suffering, not only to the missing person but to their family. In doing so, we are able to reduce the pressures of manpower resources of the police and other emergency services.
Lowland Search Dogs provide a valuable resource to Search and Rescue operations, we can be called out by the Police, search & rescue units and other emergency services. The benefit in using dogs is they can cover a large area of ground quickly and efficiently and therefore have an excellent track record of finding missing people.
We are available 365 days of the year, night and day in all weathers. and do not charge to attend a search. The team is made up from volunters of all ages from all walks of life and often have to fit their training and searching in around their families and jobs. We exist through sponsorship and fundraising if you wish to help our team please visit the contact page.
Lowland Kent were called out over 40 times last year. Both in our own county of Kent and to support other LSDog units. If we can assist we will.
View Lowland Search Dogs Kent Callouts 2011 in a larger map |
View Lowland Search Dogs Searches 2012 in a larger map |
The dogs on our team are trained to air scent, which is when a dog can pick up human scent in the air and follow its strongest point, this means they do not follow a missing persons specific track or need any items of clothing.
To maintain our high standards we adhere to the Lowland Search Dogs National Body, the handler and the dog will have structured training and assistance to guide them through this process.
The 3 standards are the following
Trainee Dog - This is Level 1, the dogs will stay at this level while they go through their training.
Hasty Search- This is level 2 which any dog must be qualified in to be operational. The dog must search a 2km path 25m each side in 60 minutes and must have a 100% find.
Open Area- This is the level 3 and what a dog can work towards once operational. The dog must search 50 acres of land in 90 minutes and have 100% find.
A dog on average will take 18 months to qualify but this will vary on each dog and how quickly they pick up the training.
Following the search on 9th January 2012 in Hayes Inspector Richard Denton from the Metropolitan Police said:
"This was a job well done by all parties and I would like to pay tribute to our partners from Lowland Search Dogs Kent and Surrey Search & Rescue and for their valuable input. I look forward to more successful co-operation going forward."
