Search and rescue dog in training to help South West families

South West families will have a new resource to help find missing loved ones when a search and rescue dog dedicated to the region finishes her training.

Ayla is the latest recruit for K9 Trackers Perth, a volunteer-based organisation that serves the community by providing trained dogs to help those desperately searching for a missing person.

Founders Sonya Bowditch and Lesley Watson bring a wealth of experience in search and rescue and canine tracking to the service, which was established four years ago as a way to support those in need across Perth.

Now the South West will have a local dog as handler Rebecca Banks helps Ayla finish her training over the coming months.

We support families if a search has been called off, often the families will call us to continue the search and that’s when we’ll use the cadaver skills of the dog.

Ms Bowditch said having a local dog meant those in need would not have to wait two or three hours for one to travel from Perth.

“Being in the South West, it means there’s a dog ready and able to be deployed as soon as possible,” she said.

Ms Bowditch said it was important people contacted the police as their first port of call before reaching out to the service as soon as they could.

“All our handlers, once they’re assessed, they’re on standby ready for call-out at any time,” she said.

“A lot of our call outs at the moment are from families as well.

“We support families if a search has been called off, often the families will call us to continue the search and that’s when we’ll use the cadaver skills of the dog.”

Ayla is completing scent-specific tracking and will go on to learn cadaver skills in the future to help her become a multi-purpose search and rescue dog for the South West.