SEARCH dog handlers from across the North gathered for a training day with their canines - who play a vital role in many rescues.
The event held near Catterick in North Yorkshire was organised by Ian Speirs, chairman of Search and Rescue Dog Association England (SARDA) for fully trained and trainee rescue dogs.
Members from mountain rescue teams in Swaledale and Cleveland attended, along with other volunteers from areas including the peak district and Northumberland.
Team spokesman for Cleveland Mountain Rescue Team (MRT), Pete Mounsey, said: “Training a search dog is a massive commitment for a team member and their families as it involves extra training nights every week as well as residential weekends in various parts of the country every month.”
Search and Rescue Dog Associations (SARDA) are voluntary organisations responsible for training and deploying search dogs. They locate human scent particles in the air to track down lost and injured mountaineers and missing people in rural and urban areas.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here