The Lake District Mountain Rescue Search Dogs are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.  They train in all weather conditions including the Scottish winter, hiding people in snowholes to simulate avalanche work for the dog and handler teams.  Communication is difficult in these conditions and highlights the dedication and professionalism of the organisation – dogs, handlers, bodies and assessors are all volunteers.  Each handler must be a current member of a local mountain rescue team and it takes 2-3 years of training before they can search with their dog in real-life situations.  The training is fun - the dogs really love the hide and seek game with lots of encouragement and a squeaky or tuggy toy as a reward for finding a hidden body.  But as they progress through training and qualify, they begin to understand the significance of putting on their work jacket and searching in seriousness.

I was a body for over 10 years, I joined because I wanted to give something back to mountain rescue after a winter climbing accident.  Now I’m raising money for them as equipment and callout travel costs keep going up and funding is always difficult to find.

Further information can be found at:

http://lakes-searchdogs.org/

Thank you. 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.