# Pet Peeve



## Jim Delbridge (Jan 27, 2010)

Ok, going to do this as anonymously as possible. And, I'm not going to point fingers, but....

There is a tendency in the civilian SAR world for dog teams to deploy to searches they are unprepared for. The other side of the argument is always, "how do I know if I'm unprepared for something until I try it?"

Ok, next time this goes through a dog team's head or a search team's head, remember this:

1) If you deploy without law enforcement, emergency management, or a fire department's request, you are possibly screwing up their investigation. I know it's hard to refuse a family's request, but the best response to a family is to have them have their law enforcement contact you. 

2) There will be a lot of pressure on you by family to make a find. The most pressure I've ever had from law enforcement is "we had a good tip, we think. We need you to check it out." Negative searches are the hardest searches any dog team can work. For HRD dog teams, they HAVE to be routine. For dog teams that are primarily live and dabble in HRD, they HAVE to be routine (this should imply that dabbling in HRD is not really a smart move.) If human remains are actually present, searches tend to be quick. I go put the dog up and put on my death investigator hat. My day is really just starting and the dog gets a well earned crash in my vehicle with something tasty to chew on. Negative searches require the handler to be sure he/she has covered the area adequately, putting the dog into all areas scent could reach without dwelling on any area with the worry of talking the dog into something. I'm much happier if my dog gives an alert out of my sight or 30 yards plus away from me than if I'm right there. 

3) For those people that work HRD all the time, we quickly learn that buried in soil and buried in water are pretty much the same except water tends to have larger scent areas available depending on depth and water temperature. Years ago, methane was considered a big issue. Remember that a decomposing human body has been documented that put off over 478 different chemicals during the decomposition process....methane is just one. Methane is odorless to humans. We aren't sure about dogs. If you think your dog has issues with methane, then you haven't trained HRD nearly long enough and have no place doing a search where HR's might be present. To prove this to yourself, put a decomp source in a large area of actively rotting leaves....1/2 acre or larger will be good enough. Leave the source for two days and then work your dog on it. This is actually a hard problem due to the leaf canopy, but not due to the methane. Two days is plenty of time for scent migration for the dog to get scent close to the source and then work in. Theoretically the whole area has methane present, so if your dog truly has issues with methane then it will target the entire area. You have ample opportunities for proofing.


4) Lastly, realize that when you suggest your dog has made a find, the family will latch onto it like its their last hope....it is. Your call can put the lives of law enforcement in jeopardy as the family and media will suggest they send divers into a frozen water way to find their loved one. It doesn't matter if you aren't sure and make caveats, the family WILL grasp at straws. A good reason to keep them away from the search as they won't understand your concerns.


This is how I get involved. Law enforcement asks me to verify if remains are in said water way as they don't want to risk the life of divers in dangerous areas if they don't have to. Nobody knows I come in. I demand media not be present. I consider that my dog and I prevented the risk of lives to divers because I declared said water way clear of human remains after working an hour in frigid strong north winds and icy waters.

Body was found two miles away. My dog and I did our job. 
I really wish this sort of situation was not as routine as it often is.


I'll go back to my shadows now.


Jim Delbridge


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