Luna to the rescue - West Midlands Urban Search and Rescue pooch undergoes boat training

Luna em’barked’ed on her boat training with enthusiasm
Fionnuala Bourke
By Fionnuala Bourke
Published 29th Mar 2022, 13:21 BST

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Heading up the Bow - paw-some pooch Luna is ready and waiting to help protect people from danger on the West Midlands waterways.

The two-year-old Belgian Malinois is an Urban Search and Rescue dog for West Midlands Fire Service Technical Rescue Unit (TRU).

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She joined WMFS last year and took over the lead from six year-old Cara who joined in 2015.

She em’bark’ed on her specialist training with enthusiasm and successfully completed her first session on a boat.

Firefighter and Dog Handler Mick Attwood with Urban Search and Rescue Dog LunaFirefighter and Dog Handler Mick Attwood with Urban Search and Rescue Dog Luna
Firefighter and Dog Handler Mick Attwood with Urban Search and Rescue Dog Luna

Her WMFS trainer said: “Our new girl ‘Luna’ had her 1st boat training today, I guess she’s a natural. Environmental exposure for our search dogs is essential to ensure we’re always ready “

Luna is the second Belgian Malinois to join WMFS, previously Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) dog roles were reserved for Collies, Springer Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels and black Labradors.

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As well as serving the West Midlands Luna could be deployed to internationally assist with overseas incidents.

He is managed by Firefighter and Dog Handler Mick Attwood who is based at Bickenhill Fire Station.

Firefighter and Dog Handler Mick Attwood with Urban Search and Rescue Dog LunaFirefighter and Dog Handler Mick Attwood with Urban Search and Rescue Dog Luna
Firefighter and Dog Handler Mick Attwood with Urban Search and Rescue Dog Luna

Mick said: “Our Technical Rescue Unit prides itself on being able to deliver a local, national and international response to major incidents, including humanitarian situations.

“Search and Rescue Dogs are an integral part of this. For incidents where people are missing, canines are the best tool there is to locate them as they are trained to find and indicate on live scent.

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“Belgian Malinois dogs have really good traits and characteristics for this role and Luna is no exception. She has lots of energy and enthusiasm, is in great health and is incredibly agile. And, of course, she has a really good nose, something that is vital for sniffing out live human scent in emergency situations.”

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