Search & Rescue Dogs Australia Inc

Search & Rescue Dogs Australia Inc is a volunteer, not-for-profit organisation based on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, dedicated to providing highly trained canine teams to assist emergency services in locating missing persons and human remains. Established in 1994, SARDA has grown into an internationally accredited search and detection organisation, relying entirely on volunteers who contribute their time and skills to support critical search and rescue operations across Australia.

Flagship Project: Highly Skilled Canine Search and Rescue Teams

SARDA’s main project involves training and deploying self-sufficient teams of canines, handlers, and support staff with specialised scent detection skills. These teams operate 24/7 to assist emergency services in searching for missing persons, including live finds and human remains detection. The training process is rigorous, requiring 1-2 years and over 1200 hours to qualify a detection canine, ensuring that each team meets international standards for effectiveness and reliability.

Mission and Vision

SARDA’s mission is to find missing persons when time is critical and to provide closure for families and communities. The organisation envisions a future where its volunteer canine teams continue to be a vital resource for emergency services, enhancing public safety and emergency response capabilities across Australia.

Main Objectives

• Train and maintain internationally accredited search and rescue canine teams.
• Provide free search and rescue services to emergency agencies.
• Support emergency services with rapid, effective search operations for missing persons and human remains.
• Promote volunteer involvement and community awareness of search and rescue capabilities.

Benefiting Groups

• Emergency services such as police and fire departments.
• Families and communities affected by missing persons cases.
• Volunteers who gain training and experience in canine handling and search operations.
• The broader public, through enhanced safety and emergency response readiness.

Types of Services and Activities

• Live Find Search: Canines locate missing persons using airborne scent detection, working off-lead to cover large areas efficiently.
• Human Remains Detection: Specialised dogs locate deceased persons, even years post-mortem and in challenging environments.
• Urban Search and Rescue (USAR): Teams assist in disaster scenarios such as fires, floods, and landslides to find trapped or missing individuals.
• Volunteer Training Programs: Offering detection training, K9 handling, and support roles to build skilled volunteer teams.