Search Dogs Sydney Incorporated

Search Dogs Sydney is a dedicated 100% volunteer organisation committed to locating missing persons across all environments in New South Wales. Operating 24 hours, 365 days a year, the organisation provides certified and accredited teams of canines and handlers to law enforcement, emergency management agencies, and the community during emergencies. The organisation is a registered charity endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient, ensuring that all contributions support their vital search and rescue mission.

Specialised Canine Search and Rescue Teams

Search Dogs Sydney Inc operates expertly trained canines adept at locating both living and deceased individuals. Their air-scent detection dogs can cover the same ground as approximately 30 human searchers, making them invaluable in wilderness search operations, natural or man-made disasters, and mass casualty events. Each canine team comprises qualified search technicians, handlers, and support personnel deployed with cutting-edge technology.

Mission and Vision

The organisation’s mission is to provide and promote search and rescue and recovery canines and handlers as a local resource to support NSW Police and emergency services. Their goal encompasses missing person searches in both wilderness and urban settings, and locating casualties after disasters, operating with unwavering dedication and professionalism.

Main Objectives

• Develop and train professional canine handler teams
• Develop search dog teams meeting local, national and international certification standards
• Present training programs in canine search and rescue and lost person behaviour
• Train personnel to be proficient searchers in wilderness and urban settings

Benefiting Groups

Search Dogs Sydney Inc serves law enforcement agencies, emergency management services, families of missing persons, and the broader community requiring search and rescue assistance across New South Wales, nationally, and internationally.

Types of Services and Activities

• Live Find operations – locating living individuals
• Human Remains Detection (HRD) – locating deceased individuals
• Area search and wilderness operations
• Water search capabilities
• Urban search and rescue (USAR)
• Drone teams providing aerial reconnaissance and surveillance
• Training programs in lost persons behaviour and search strategies