A search was initiated in the dark and very early hours of the morning for the dog teams of Oldham and Kinder Mountain Rescue, assisted by Buxton.

Search Dog, Megan, with handler Dave Mason, were called to help police locate a missing 33 year old man from Stockport, in an area of urban parkland. The man was known to be in a vulnerable mental state. Despite prolonged and detailed searching in dense woodland and along a river bank in muddy, slippery, underfoot conditions, nothing was found.

The search was transferred to Bolton Mountain Rescue to continue during the daytime.

UPDATE: …

Search Dogs Cap & Zak along with their Handlers Malc Bowyer & Nick Smith were called with 3 other SARDA Dog Teams to assist in the search for a vulnerable 37 year old male.  Along with 3 Mountain Rescue Teams they searched around Ladybower, but the missing person was not found and all Teams were stood down.

Search Dog, Zak, and his handler, Nick Smith, were called by Edale Mountain Rescue with two other dog teams to search woodlands surrounding the Linacre Reservoirs for a missing person.

The search was stood down, when the young male was found safe and well outside the search area.

Buxton search dog Zak called with handler Nick Smith to assist in a search of a semi-urban area of Ripley following the report of a missing 93 year old lady.  Whilst the night was relatively warm and dry an early find probably saved this lady’s life.

The search was being co-ordinated by Derby MRT and three Peak District SARDA dogs were called to assist.  The lady, who had last been seen about 20.00 hours the previous evening, was known to be in a confused state and Nick with Search Dog Zak was tasked to search an area of parkland close to the lady’s home. 

The casualty was located …

Search Dog Megan with handler Dave Mason and another SARDA Unit were called to serach for an 86 year old male who had wandered away from his care home in Etwall.   The man, suffering from dementia, was located by a member of Derby MRT just 500 metre from the point he was last seen.  He had collapsed into a ditch and whilst uninjured  he was suffering from hypothermia.  Dave and Megan were close by and were able to assist with immediate first aid and evacuation of the casualty to an ambulance.

Buxton’s Search Dog Megan was credited with saving a life when she, with handler Dave Mason, was called to Linacre Woods west of Chesterfield.  Edale MRT and two other search dogs had been called to assist Derbyshire Police with a search of woodland for a 24 year old vulnerable male.  It was thought that the man may have attempted to harm himself and mountain rescue responded appropriately. 

Megan was about half way in to her search pattern to the north of the reservoirs when she disappeared for a few minutes before returning to give a strong indication to her handler that she …

Buxton Search Dog Zak with handler Nick Smith were called along with three other Peak District Search Dog units to Fairtholmes car park in the Derwent Valley following a report of a woman lost on the moors.

The lady had gone for a walk from the Derwent Dams but had strayed onto the moors and lost her bearings.  Whilst a full search was being planned and three rescue teams put on stand-by, search managers spoke to the woman by cell-phone and were able to estimate her position.  A small group of team members …

A long and frustrating drive for Buxton Search Dog Handler Nick Smith and Zak which started with a call at 03.35 a.m.   Three search dogs were called to assist Woodhead MRT with a search for a missing 16 year old female in a potentially very large search area.

On arrival at the RV at 05.20 Nick was informed that the girl had just been located by police who found that she had earlier been admitted to hospital.   Nick and Zak turned round and drove the 48 miles back home.

Buxton’s Search Dog Zak with handler Nick Smith were called together with four other Peak District Search Dogs to rendezvous at Heatherdene car park in readiness for a search of Bleaklow.

The search was launched following a report of a seventeen year old male lost on the walk from Edale to Crowden. Fortunately the search controllers were able to pinpoint his position from the information they had received and a police helicopter was able to fly over the youth. A section of Woodhead team members climbed to John Track Well to escort the casualty off

A brief call-out for Buxton’s, Nick Smith, with Search Dog, Zak, in support of Buxton and Edale MRTs’ call-out relating to a search for two people lost in low cloud on Kinder Scout. 

No sooner had Zak got his paws muddy, the stand-down was sounded.  See team call-out for fuller details.