Northamptonshire Search & Rescue New Trainee Search Dog

**Issued on behalf of Northamptonshire Search & Rescue**

The Northamptonshire Search & Rescue team is super excited to announce we have a new trainee search dog, Search Dog Duke.

Duke joins the team with handler Emily Cockerill, a search technician and advanced medic for more than five years, and he's showing fantastic aptitude and capabilities already.

However Duke is no newbie on the scene. He joins as an ex-police dog. Duke is a two-year-old German Shepard. He joins as Emily’s partner from Northamptonshire Police, after it was decided he did not have the right drive to be a police dog, however his handler and trainers thought he might do well trying out a different job. Continuing to support the people of Northamptonshire and help save more lives.

Sergeant Chris Monday of the Northamptonshire Police Dog’s Section said “We were really pleased to see Duke Join Emily and begin training with our colleagues at Northamptonshire Search and Rescue, where we are sure he will be a great asset to the team in helping those in need.

“Duke is an amazing dog, and during his police training showed great aptitude for tracking and finding people. However, he wasn't confident in other aspects of the work, which unfortunately were a vital requirement of a police dog.

“We would like to wish Duke and his new handler, Emily, every success and look forward to following their story as Duke establishes himself as a search and rescue dog.”

Emily, his new dog mum, is very excited to have him and he has become a good friend in her home already. A registered veterinary nurse by day and an experienced search technician by night make her and Duke the perfect partnership.

Emily said: “I've been on the team for several years and have been helping with the dog team since its inception with lead Ian Horton. I have acted as dog team support as well as been a missing person for both training and assessments.

“I am really looking forward to training my own dog; he's already a brilliant dog at home and we have a lot of fun going out on adventures together.”

Training Duke will take around 18 months or more to qualify and meet national search standards for Lowland Rescue. Ultimately saving lives when every second counts.