The ALSAR family expanded this week as it was joined by 6 Search Dog Teams.

The teams from all over the south of the UK became the first in the country to join under new arrangements that enabled the Association of Lowland Search & Rescue to take responsibility for the coordination and provision of Search & Rescue Dogs in lowland environments.

The 6 teams that joined ALSAR are:-

• Berkshire Search & Rescue Dogs
• Search Dogs Buckinghamshire
• Dorset Search Dogs
• Lowland Search Dogs Southern (Hampshire)
• Lowland Search Dogs Sussex
• Essex Search & Rescue Dogs

Kris Manning, Vice Chairman said "Search Dogs are a powerful tool in the search for missing persons and their specific skills compliment existing ALSAR teams. It makes good sense for all the lowland search resources to be represented and coordinated by a single national body and we are delighted to welcome these teams. Search Dogs and their handlers are highly trained and in common with all ALSAR teams they are 100% volunteer, 100% professional"

ALSAR now has 29 member teams across the UK providing highly trained Search & Rescue resources in the lowland areas of the UK.