Help knows no holidays
Stormarn. The volunteer forces of the German Life Saving Society save well over 1,000 lives (DLRG) every year. It's not always courageous lifeguards who throw themselves into lakes, rivers or seas in the summer. And even now in the cold season and during the upcoming holidays, the volunteers regularly save lives. They often receive animal support.
Cornelia “Conny” Krenz from the DLRG Stormarn local group in Schleswig-Holstein has carried out over 30 search missions this year. Always at her side: her Labrador 'Bailey'. If a person goes missing in the region, the police call in the DLRG rescue dogs rapid response group from Stormarn, which was founded 20 years ago, to help. The dog handlers specifically search large areas with their four-legged friends. To do this, those involved make use of the dogs' excellent sense of smell.
When the phone rings at night
Conny receives an alarm about every ten days. The phone often rings in the middle of the night. “I'm a deep sleeper and don't even hear it. But 'Bailey' comes and wakes me up,” reveals the 58-year-old. The nine-year-old male with shiny black fur is an experienced rescue dog. He has been working diligently to find missing people for eight years. “We started training in 2017. Since then we have been passionate about this task.”
Three and a half years ago, another Labrador, Kalu, came into the Krenz family. Both dogs go to training together with Conny on Wednesdays and weekends. “It's fascinating to see how we grow together as a team. My Labbis want confirmation. For example, there's a lot of cuddling after training.”
With Kalu's training, Conny ensures that she can continue to pursue her passion even after 'Bailey' retires. This demands a lot from her. Each mission lasts at least four hours. The rescue dog teams have no influence on the time of day or night, nor on the weather. The emergency services travel up to 50 kilometers to get to the search area. “I sometimes let my husband sit with our friends at dinner. I'm very happy that my family goes without me every now and then and supports me so well.”
Enormous stress and moments of happiness
A search operation lasting several hours is always followed by a debriefing within the team. Sometimes psycho-social support is also required. Everyone must be prepared that the operation could end with a dead person being found. It is particularly stressful for volunteers when children go missing. “We have to get a scent of the missing person. Just looking into the desperate eyes of the parents in their home is very difficult.”
In most cases, emergency services are looking for older people who have dementia, diabetes or other illnesses that play a role in their disappearance. The mission often ends for 'Bailey' without any search success. But all dogs are always rewarded. Whether training or deployment, finding or not finding, you always run for the reward. “My Labbis are voracious. They like food. Others are crazy about a certain toy. These are their moments of happiness,” explains Conny. The experienced dog handler experiences her own moments of happiness, especially during successful missions. “When we find the person we’re looking for alive, it’s an indescribably beautiful feeling.”
The rescue dog teams rely on donations for their work. The volunteers can use the money to purchase equipment such as dog blankets, GPS devices and protective equipment. That's why the rescuers are happy about any support they receive.