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Video length: 1 min
Missing Persons: Inside the Training of Search Dogs
Utility search is a canine sport discipline, which aims to search for missing persons. In Ain, Julie and her dog have completed a training session.
(France 2)
Utility search is a canine sport discipline, which aims to search for missing persons. In Ain, Julie and her dog have completed a training session.
In Messimy-sur-Saône (Ain), Julie and her dog, Ouragan, set out on the trail of Pierre, who has gone missing. This is a fictional scenario for a treasure hunt, because utilitarian research is also a canine sport in its own right. “All dogs, whatever they are (…) have these abilities which are at least 20,000 times superior to those of human beings”explains Michel Catelin, head of the Utility Research section at the Dombes Canine Club.
To begin his search, Hurricane sniffs out a personal item belonging to the missing person. The dog follows a trail, but his mistress doesn’t believe it. “I know I ran out of patience there.”says Julie Fievez, a candidate for the Étampes dog club, canine discipline “Question of flair!”. Five objects carrying the scent of the person being sought are scattered throughout the course. The dog Ouragan found Pierre after 1 hour and 15 minutes of searching.
