‘‘She is just ready to go, but it is a catch-22 for me... I want to work the dog, but realise the importance of a callout and what it means to that person who is missing,'' Search Dogs Otago operational search dog handler Richard Warrington said.
Lucy (3) and Mr Warrington, a footwear department manager, passed a three-day assessment by New Zealand Land Search and Rescue at Whakahoro, in the Whanganui National Park at the weekend.
‘‘She passed with flying colours. She was born ready,'' he said.
The pair have worked together for three years, since Lucy was picked as a puppy from the SPCA, and Mr Warrington (23) volunteered his time. Lucy is one of only five air scent dogs in the country.
All were based in the South Island, and Lucy was one of two who was a ‘‘re-find'' dog, which found the subject and guided the handler to the location, rather than staying by the subject and barking.
‘‘She is capable of picking up the smell of humans up to 3km away in the middle of native bush, so she is pretty special.''
Search Dogs Otago training co-ordinator Barry Dougherty said despite Lucy's training costing more than $30,000 a year, ‘‘she was worth every cent''.
‘‘The only other dog like her is in Omarama, so we expect to get a lot of use out of her, not just in Otago and Southland but all over New Zealand.''
While many dogs and handlers undertook the arduous training scheme, few were able to pass the test, which required the dogs to locate people or articles in dense native bush, he said.
‘‘Few dogs have the capabilities of getting through to the final stage and it is very much a learning stage for the handler. This pair have done remarkably well, and they will be a real asset to the region.''
It had been more than four years since the last search and rescue dog was based in Dunedin, he said.
While her role was a serious one, Lucy was also also a loved pet, Mr Warrington said.
‘‘She is pretty full of beans loves her food and she is always in the kitchen hanging around. When I am asleep, she always wakes me up by licking my face, but I guess the important thing is that she is serious when she needs to be.''
