Trio of brave Scots search and rescue dogs honoured for their life-saving work
A trio of brave search and rescue dogs this week picked up gongs for their dedication and search skills.
Search dogs Zak, Bowie and Merlin, who help Trossachs Search and Rescue (Trossachs SAR), could hardly contain their excitement when they were presented with special rosettes by Stirling’s Lady Provost, Councillor Elaine Watterson.
The courageous dogs' tails were wagging as they also each received their own personalised blanket with their name on them and a bag full of fun toys and treats from STEP Scotland, which hosted the ceremony, as a reward for all their hard work.
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The dogs received their awards in front of fellow life-savers from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service - Blue Watch who came along to celebrate.
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Thanking the community for their support, a spokesperson for Trossachs SAR said: “To everyone who showed such amazing support and gratitude for our dogs and the important work they do, a huge thank you from us all at Trossachs SAR. You really did make it a very special and memorable day for our search dogs.”
Trossachs SAR is now in its 25th year as a community resilience team and unlike other rescue teams, they do not receive any government funding for the work that they do. The team are instead supported by grants, companies and individuals since 1998.
The team of volunteers support local communities from Loch Lomond to Dunblane, Strathblane to Strathyre.
The dogs can be drafted in to assist with most search and rescue operations and the team’s dogs have aided a number of high profile searches including the wreckage of The Clutha bar, in Glasgow, after it was destroyed when a police helicopter crashed in to it in November 2013, killing all three crew on board and seven customers. Trossachs SAR dogs were drafted in to assist the search for survivors.