We are delighted to have raised an amazing £205 during Volunteers’ Week! A huge thank you to everyone who donated and shared our posts. The funds will go directly towards the keeping our search vehicles, Petra and Ron, on the road and saving lives. They transport our team and equipment to call-outs and play a vital role in enabling our volunteers to respond as quickly and efficiently as possible.
We had great enjoyment celebrating our brilliant team of volunteers during Volunteers’ Week 2024. Our incredible life saving dogs and volunteers all deserve a mention.
Here are a few highlights of the week with our ‘Volunteer Spotlights’:
“Volunteering for Hampshire Search and Rescue Dogs is a hugely satisfying role – I get to go out and help vulnerable members of my community, with my trusted K9 partner at my side. The team has not only given me an outlet but it’s given my dog one too – I’ve watched her grow from a playful pup into an incredible live saving asset. Alongside the fantastic bond volunteering has allowed me to create with my pet, it has also taught me key life skills, instilled confidence and taught me a great deal about working dogs.
We’re a team at HSARDogs, working together with a common goal for good, helping each other to better ourselves and subsequently helping the community with the great work we do in finding high risk, missing persons – with a little help from our fantastic dogs’ noses.” Conor and Search Dog Maya
“Volunteering in an operational support role for the team is incredibly fulfilling. Utilising skills in radio communications, first aid, navigation, assisting with search tactics and scent theory (for the dogs nose!) all helps support our Dog Handlers in searching the areas we are deployed to.
Being ‘called out’ to help someone in need and work alongside fellow volunteers, all helping to find a missing person is what it’s all about!
Each time you dash out the door in the middle of dinner, or at 3am in the pouring rain, it’s extremely rewarding to know you and your colleagues are doing something to help someone in need.
I’ve been a volunteer for 9 years, searching lowland areas of Hampshire and neighbouring counties. I wonder how many miles our volunteers have walked and driven for the cause – even more so, how many miles our dogs have walked and run doing their amazing work with their incredible noses – if only they could tell us! Ali, Operational Support
“Being call-out coordinator brings what we do into sharp focus, deploying volunteer search dog teams to live searches. I think it’s wonderful that people will cancel their plans, get out of bed in the middle of the night or get cold, wet and muddy – all to look for a stranger at any time of the day or night. And all for free – I’m sure most people don’t realise that volunteer search teams provide a vital resource for the police that’s free of charge to each force.
My advice to anyone considering volunteering is – take a look at the huge variety of volunteering opportunities there are in your community and see how you might be able to play a part. Find something that interests you and see how you can get involved. Chances are you’ll make new friends too.” Sarette, Call-out Coordinator.
“I’ve been volunteering with Hampshire Search & Rescue Dogs for the past 9 years as training support and more recently added site coordinator to my roles.
I have to admit that training support is my preferred job as I love working alongside the dogs and their handlers helping them to put into practice their amazing abilities to help find vulnerable missing people.
Most of my friends think I’m crazy hiding in the woods for hours regardless of the weather but I love it and will carry on for as long as I’m physically able.” Lesley, Training Support
“Volunteering with Hampshire Search & Rescue Dogs is much more than just a hobby for me, it’s a way of life. Both Search Dog Rusty and I are always working to provide the best service to missing people both in Hampshire and the surrounding counties. On call 24/7 we often drop plans, take time away from work and even miss sleep to deploy in an effort to save a life Rusty loves his work and has recently been involved in an operational find, making a huge difference to that person.
Our team is made up of many like minded members from all walks of life who give a huge amount of time to training, fundraising, administration and deployments. We all plan our lives around our commitment to Search & Rescue.”Kev and Search Dog Rusty
If you’d like to help support this campaign please click link: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/hsardogsvw24
-ENDS-
Notes to Editors:
Hampshire Search & Rescue Dogs are a team of volunteers who are called out by the police to search for high risk, vulnerable missing people. The dogs and their handlers, together with supporting search technicians, are trained and assessed to national standards. All operational members of the team are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The team is a registered charity (number 1114740). For further information about the team please get in touch via the contact page