By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Kaua'i County Bureau
LIHU‘E, Kaua‘i — The Hawai‘i Search Dog Association, based on Kaua‘i, has signed an agreement with the county that will allow its dogs and handlers to be called in for missing-persons searches.
Kaua‘i Fire Department Battalion Chief Ernest Moniz Jr. said the trained Kaua‘i dogs could soon be a state-wide resource in search missions.
The association is a volunteer group that has trained a handful of dogs using search-and-rescue training techniques developed in California.
The association impressed county fire and police officials several weeks ago with a demonstration of the dogs’ abilities in detecting a person hidden in a large abandoned canefield.
Moniz said the animals can search in terrain where humans cannot effectively conduct searches for missing hikers or other missing persons.
Police Chief George Freitas said the Kaua‘i group is the only one of its kind in the state.
Hawai‘i Search Dog Association official Ricko Taniguchi said the organization hopes to obtain nonprofit status so it can seek grants to help fund more training.
So far, the dog owners have paid the expenses of training, including the cost of bringing professional search-dog trainers from the Mainland.
She said the dogs and their owner/trainers go out four to five days a week to keep up their skills.
"It’s very time-consuming," she said.
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