"Person missing"

Search dog squad practiced in an emergency

Large-scale exercise by the Red Cross search dog team in Bruck an der Mur

(Bild: Suchhundestaffel Bruck/Mürzzuschlag)

When someone goes missing, they go out: The four-legged members of the Red Cross search dog team with their ladies and gentlemen. Of course, to ensure that everything goes smoothly in an emergency, they have to practice - as they did recently in Bruck an der Mur.

The search dog teams can be contacted day and night via the regional warning center if they are needed. With their eager four-legged friends, men and women roam meadows and forests in search of missing persons.

One of the eager search dogs

(Bild: Suchhundestaffel Bruck/Mürzzuschlag)

The Styrian Red Cross search dog squadron recently took part in an exercise in Bruck an der Mur. Experienced dogs and their masters and wives took part in a large-scale search operation for a missing person. The exercise covered an area of 23 hectares, which is the equivalent of 45 (!) soccer pitches! Those responsible were in constant contact via radio and GPS so that they could coordinate and direct their teams accordingly. The search began at 2.30 pm and the missing person was finally discovered at 7 pm.

Search dog team of the Red Cross

The search dog team of the Styrian Red Cross has 10 operational search dog teams, which are trained for area searches as well as some for rubble searches.

These search dog teams can be contacted day and night via the provincial warning center and are available free of charge to anyone seeking help.

Training to become an operational search dog takes around three years, with each fully trained search dog having to prove its skills by passing tests every year. The search dog teams train three times a week.

But instead of taking it easy, they added another exercise in the form of a wayside search. This time, the junior dogs were also involved. That's what you call commitment!