Together with old German Shepherd †Aizza and my cross-breed Malinois Lucca and Aydinn, I have become deeply attached to working with dogs. The fact that I can also fulfill a need for help together with Oger SARdogs and many other people makes me feel part of a greater good.
My love for search and rescue work started about 14 years ago in Austria while doing avalanche training with my cross-breed Malinois †Coco. That’s when I got bitten by the search and rescue dog bug. I was amazed then, and still am, by the dog’s sense of smell.
I gladly share the experience I’ve gained over the years with my fellow team members, all 100% motivated people, who time and time again get so much enjoyment from searching with their dogs.
TEAM
Hello, my name is André Wevers.
I don’t own a dog simply because I lack the time. However, I am fascinated by the work that this team does on a voluntary basis. Although I don’t have a dog, there are more than enough tasks to support the entire team in searches.
I was once, a few years ago, asked to be the liaison between the emergency services and the team. I think that was made for me, but along the way I got dragged into the enthusiasm and started doing more than just that.
Nowadays my job varies from cook, material / logistics, safety, board member and the liaison to emergency services. Writing this down I actually think; all-rounder, so still the liaison but then in the broadest sense.
The circumstances in which we search for missing persons, aren’t always easy. You never know where you are going and what you will find. That is sometimes hard for us because if we go somewhere there is no toilet, running water, central heating, electricity and so on. We don’t mind that because it is part of the job and at the end of the day our goal is to provide clarity to family and friends. By the way, our searches are done both in the Netherlands as well as abroad and are initiated by many causes, such as an earthquake, tsunami or typhoon. When needed, we come, VOLUNTARY and without charges.
When I tell people the things we as a team are doing to make and keep both dog and handler deployable, I sometimes hear people say that this almost is a full-time job. And they are right! Our members do all this in addition to their regular job, on a voluntary basis.
When I see the dedication and enthusiasm the dogs and their handlers have in performing their job, I am amazed every time and I am happy and proud that I am part of this great TEAM.
Together Everyone Achieves More