‘It’s been difficult,’ says handler as search for missing K9 called off

The search has been called off to find a search-and-rescue dog who fell into an open drain in Tshwane while tracking down another missing dog.

Jett, from Healthy Hound Missing Pet Search and Rescue, fell into an open manhole in Kilner Park last Sunday while tracking a Jack Russell terrier. He wasn’t seen again.

Jett was ‘larger than life’

Healthy Hound Missing Pet Search and Rescue partner and handler Diane Logie said a special memorial would be held once Jett’s body was recovered.

“It’s been difficult. I am physically and emotionally exhausted, with a headache from another planet. I cannot describe my emotions. Jett was just special,” she said.

Logie said when she lost another dog three years ago, she didn’t believe anything could fill the void.

“But Jett did fill the hole, he was larger than life.

“He was more than a dog or a K9 partner. Jett was certainly not a pet; he was a working dog. He always gave 100%. He left a huge void in my heart and [that of] everyone who has ever handled his leash,” she said.

Logie said Jett was a 17-month-old specialist missing pet search dog and one of two internationally trained dogs.

ALSO READ: PICS: Search for missing K9 called off after Jett presumed dead

“I am honestly not doing good,” she said.

Jett’s co-handler Karlene Treurnicht said he would be missed.

Treurnicht said Jett was the first dog in South Africa trained from puppyhood to become a pet search dog.

“His mission was to search for missing pets, such as cats and dogs. He recently found a fox. He had a very high success rate,” she added.

Dogs save lives

Braveheart Bio-Dog Training Academy chief executive John Greyvenstein said dogs played an important role in saving many lives across the world.

Greyvenstein and his team train and certify both the dog and handlers.

“The dog in its relationship with the human dates back to early times, that indicate the bond has followed a positive outcome,” he said.

ALSO READ: Search and rescue K9 missing after falling down manhole in Pretoria

Greyvenstein said dogs have saved many lives, detecting explosives and recovering narcotics, and added certified and trained dogs had costs attached.

“Like an explosives dog, when you train him, you have to train him with real scents,” he explained.

Greyvenstein said there were two components to K9 handling, a trained handler and a trained and certified dog.

“A well-trained dog is one of the most underrated tools… A well-trained dog and handler are a powerful tool to save lives.”

Greyvenstein said it was a criminal offence to handle a trained dog if the handler was untrained.

– marizkac@citizen.co.za