Search Dogs Sussex are called out by Sussex Police and neighbouring counties on average around 40 times a year. Every single callout is a search emergency where a vulnerable missing person is in need of being located as soon as possible. This is typically due to medical conditions such as Alzheimer’s or dementia, mental health issues or despondency. The missing people we are asked to search for typically don’t know they are lost or don’t want to be found. The team is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Being a specialist resource, our search dog teams are highly regarded by Sussex Police and have been responsible for successful finds that have saved lives. In 2015, we saved the life of an 82-year-old pensioner who had gone missing from his care home. We were the only asset able to locate this individual, and the paramedics in attendance said that he would not have survived if we had not been there.
Unfortunately, not all our searches have happy endings. We often find the missing people who have already succumbed, and in this case, we perform a valuable mission in providing closure to the family.
Registered Charity in England and Wales, 1110700
Photos: Max Robinson, Jacqueline Rackham, Callum Beer, Jim Holden
