According to statistics, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, emergency workers of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine have rescued 4,339 people. A significant role in this difficult and dangerous work was played by four-legged assistants – search and rescue service dogs (SAR) and their handlers. Animals are trained to quickly find the location of victims and give them hope for rescue with their barking.
However, participating in search and rescue operations can be quite risky for both the dog and its owner. Working at the sites of destroyed buildings, dogs are in conditions that can be dangerous. Therefore, animals and their owners undergo serious training before rescuing people. It consists of a training course, regular training and certification under the supervision of experienced dog handlers and emergency rescuers.
Search and rescue work in Ukraine is extremely important right now: under rocket fire from the aggressor, rescuers are the first to arrive at the site of a missile strike, dismantle debris and save lives.
SAR in Ukraine
Today, SAR in Ukraine is directly handled by representatives of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, volunteer organizations, clubs that train dogs and their owners, individual volunteers, etc.
The coordinated work of the emergency services, interaction with volunteers and thorough training affect the results of the work. For example, after an enemy missile hit a high-rise building in Dnipro in January 2023, rescuers dismantled parts of the destroyed building for two and a half days. During this time, emergency workers rescued 39 people from under 9,000 tons of collected construction debris.
The high level of training of specialists of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine makes it possible to search for people in international missions. Thus, in February 2023, Ukrainian rescuers became one of the first to respond to the tragedy in Turkey, and arrived to search for people under the ruins of buildings after the earthquake.
Search and rescue operations involving dogs are carried out by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine with the support of its own canine centers. Also, local branches of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine certify canine pairs, which makes it possible to maintain qualifications and allows them to participate in rescue missions. Attestation takes place every year and includes, in addition to searching, the dog's obedience and agility exercises, including walking nearby without a leash, control at a distance, laying down with exposure to distracting stimuli, etc.
Training of dog handlers is carried out by non-governmental and volunteer search and rescue associations (such as Antares and SARCan). Their members regularly train and prepare handlers with dogs for SAR. The directions and specifics of the work of volunteer associations usually differ depending on the location. And some organizations even specialize in certain types of searches.
SARCan's search team primarily searches for real live people in natural environments. Since the dogs have undergone the necessary training, they can also be involved in search and rescue operations in man-made debris. However, admission to them must be authorized by the local administration of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
All dog owners can try their dog for work in the SAR and understand whether this type of activity is suitable for their pets. In addition, there is a sports direction in Ukraine – dog trainers prepare athletes for performances at competitions. Sports events are often held in local kennel clubs under the patronage of the Ukrainian Kennel Union (UKU), which organizes sports search and rescue competitions.
Individual companies are involved in the development of SAR in Ukraine, which conduct events with the participation of professionals. A series of such events was organized by the Royal Canin company, where the canine units of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and The National Guard of Ukraine (NGU) acted as trainers. They conducted trainings for 49 pairs of dog handlers in Kyiv, Rivne and Drohobych. At these meetings, SAR newcomers and already experienced pairs of handlers and their pets looked for conditional victims in improvised rubble. During the three events, the participants completed nine hours of search practice with the best specialists of Ukraine. And they also listened to six hours of theory and motivation about the search and rescue service.
Methodology of search at the place of destruction
The places of destruction of various buildings are dangerous locations for animals and handlers: they are full of sharp fragments, broken glass, and construction debris. In addition, gas and chemical leaks may occur in such places.
The location to be examined is divided into squares, each of which is occupied by a pair, namely a handler with a dog. The handler also inspects the place of destruction for broken glass, rebar, and hazardous construction debris to ensure the animal is not harmed.
Next, the couple searches the location, the dogs are trained to bark loudly and persistently when they find a victim. The animal must distinguish between dead and alive people under the ruins of the building and signal it with various signs.
Which dogs can search for people and what skills are needed for this
Of course, the most common four-legged rescuers are Labradors, German and Belgian shepherds. However, dogs of any breed or mixed breed can engage in SAR. At the same time, the breed of the animal determines its body structure, which in turn imposes certain restrictions on searches. For example, small dogs will not be able to survey a large natural area as quickly as medium or large animals. On the other hand, in destroyed houses, the large size of the animal is a disadvantage. After all, large dogs that find it difficult to move carefully in a small space can cause a building to collapse or be injured.
Other restrictions are due to the state of health of the animal. Dogs with excess weight will not be able to run the necessary distances. Likewise, various phobias and the dog's reluctance to go outside in the rain will become an obstacle to successful rescue work.
In general, a rescue dog must be healthy and in good physical shape. However, this requirement is also valid for the handler, who will need to accompany and give commands to the animal during the search.
In order to start your journey in the SAR, you need to be ready for intensive training. After all, the handler must understand the general principles of search, be able to navigate the terrain and interact with other members of the search team.
At the first stage of a novice handler's cooperation with the team, it is possible to participate in searches without a dog. Thanks to such practice, it is possible to understand how the SAR works in general, and to practice interaction with experienced rescuers.
To participate in search and rescue operations, dogs must obey commands, overcome various obstacles, and be kind to other people. And indeed, animals need to be able to find people by scent and work in man-made debris, in nature, in cities and villages. At the same time, the dog must distinguish the smell of the victim among the tracks of other participants in the search.
Animals are also trained to adapt to search conditions: different weather, long distances and specific topography. An important part of training is working with the dog's motivation to ignore stimuli while searching.
To properly encourage the animal, pairs of handlers with dogs undergo agility and obedience training at specially equipped locations. The purpose of such activities is to train the dog to follow commands without a leash, because being among the ruins of buildings, the handler must control the animal with the help of short voice commands.
Search and rescue service is as difficult as it is responsible, noble and important work. And this is not only about the opportunity to spend time with your dog, to develop new skills in your pet, but also about the potential saving of human lives.