The IRO establishes uniform training standards for search and rescue dog teams around the world. As a global umbrella organisation, we ensure that teams operate according to the same high-quality standards, enabling them to save lives in emergency situations.

You can find an overview of our work and our role here.

Currently, our network includes 139 national search and rescue dog or­ga­ni­sa­tions from 44 nations world­wide. The variety of different or­ga­ni­sa­tions ranges from small as­so­cia­tions to pro­fes­sion­al, state-run and in­te­grat­ed specialist or­ga­ni­sa­tions.

As a non-profit organisation, we rely on donations, as well as the support of partners and sponsors. This support enables us to continue our international work and maintain high training standards for search and rescue dogs.

Further information on how to support our work can be found here.

Our trainers are volunteers and do not receive any payment for their work with IRO. Only expenses and a daily allowance are reimbursed for assignments and events. The same applies to our judges, classifiers, and all other officials who support IRO on a voluntary basis.

We place great value on the welfare and training of search and rescue dogs, according to the Animal Wel­fare Act. Appreciative and caring treatment of our four-legged com­pan­ions is very important to us. However, we are not an animal wel­fare organisation and therefore do not rescue dogs in misery.

Right here – this way you'll always stay informed about our activities and get regular insights into the world of search and rescue dogs, with reports on missions, exciting portraits as well as useful tips.

Search and rescue dogs are indis­pen­sable helpers when people go missing or people get buried under rubble. They find injured hikers, peo­ple buried under avalanches or search for chil­dren that get lost in forests. Moreover, search and res­cue dogs are required when natural disasters such as earth­quakes or tsunamis occur. 

They have around 220 million olfactory cells, giving them a sense of smell far more powerful than humans'. This enables them to detect even the faintest human scent and to search large areas quickly and efficiently.

While it may take human search teams many hours to find a missing or buried person, search and rescue dogs can often locate them within minutes. Their ability to ignore distractions and stay completely focused on their task makes them an essential part of modern search and rescue operations.

Search and rescue dogs are trained to work in various operational areas, including area searches, rubble searches, avalanche searches, tracking, mantrailing and water rescues. The IRO sets international standards for the training and assessment of dogs in all these areas.

Our member organisations' search and rescue dog teams are deployed worldwide more than 2,000 times each year to help locate missing or buried people.

Following major natural disasters such as earthquakes or tsunamis, search and rescue dog teams from other countries often provide support to local emergency services. These operations are highly complex and require close international cooperation.

In principle, any fit, active dog is suitable, provided it is agile, has strong nerves, a great play instinct, a willingness to learn and good social behaviour towards people and other dogs.

Search and rescue dog work is extremely rewarding, but it also requires a great deal of time. Maintaining a high level of training demands regular practice and a strong personal commitment. During intensive training periods, up to 50 hours per month may be required.

Handlers must be physically and mentally resilient, able to work well in a team and ready to respond when needed. They must understand their dog’s body language, know how to administer first aid to humans and dogs, and be familiar with the procedures followed during operations.

Almost any breed of dog, including mixed breeds, can be trained for search and rescue work. The most important factors are the dog’s individual physical and behavioural characteristics, rather than its breed or pedigree. Essential qualities include motivation, resilience, eagerness to learn and forming a close partnership with the handler.

Training a search and rescue dog team usually takes at least two years. During this time, the dogs and their handlers prepare for their future tasks by undergoing intensive training, taking courses and completing exams and operational tests.

Even after they are certified, the teams continue to train regularly to maintain their operational readiness and develop their skills further.

Search and rescue dog teams typically train once or twice a week. They also regularly participate in multi-day training courses, seminars, tests and exercises to maintain their operational readiness and training level.

If you are interested in search and rescue dog work, you should contact your local search and rescue dog unit. They can usually arrange an introductory meeting or trial training session to help you decide if you and your dog are suited to this challenging but rewarding work.

Training a search and rescue dog to become mission-ready takes at least two years and costs around €20,000. This covers expenses such as food, veterinary care and equipment, as well as training sessions, courses and tests.

Further costs arise even after certification, as regular training is required to maintain mission readiness. As search and rescue dog work is largely carried out on a voluntary basis, many organisations rely on donations to ensure ongoing training and operational capability.

The dogs belong to their handlers and live with them as part of the family. This close bond forms the basis of the trust and teamwork required during training and operational deployments.

As search and rescue dogs grow older, their physical abilities naturally decline. Therefore, the handler must decide when a dog should no longer be deployed, gradually reducing its duties.

Dogs are retired from operational work step by step, but continue to be kept active in ways that are appropriate for their age. Their close bond with their handler remains unchanged.

There are many ways to support our organisation. You can make a donation online, become a sponsor, organise your own fundraising activities, or get involved as a volunteer. Every contribution makes a difference.

Click here for more information about the different ways you can support our work..

By donating, you will be supporting the training of search and rescue dog teams, as well as international training and tests, and the work of our member organisations worldwide. This helps to ensure that teams are ready to search for missing or buried people when needed.

No, there is no minimum donation. Every contribution is valuable, regardless of its size. You can choose how often you wish to support our work and how much you would like to donate.

You can support our work on an ongoing basis by setting up a regular donation or becoming a sponsor. You can easily set up a standing order using our donation form. You can find more information about our sponsorship programmes here.

Regular support enables us to secure the long-term training of search and rescue dog teams and continue our work worldwide.

If you have any questions, please email us at foerderer@iro-dogs.org or call us on +43 662 82 65 26.

You can donate using the following payment methods:

• PayPal
• SEPA Direct Debit
• Credit card
• Apple Pay
• Google Pay
• Bank transfer

Donations to our organisation are tax-deductible in Austria.

Since 1 January 2017, donations in Austria are recognised automatically for tax purposes. A separate receipt is usually not necessary, as donation data is securely transmitted to the tax authorities once a year.

To enable this, we require your full name (as registered) and date of birth. However, if you would still like a written receipt, we will be happy to provide one.

If personal data or bank details change, please let us know. You can reach us at foerderer@iro-dogs.org or by phone at +43 662 82 65 26.

Regular donations are invaluable in supporting our work. If you would like to change, pause or cancel your regular donation, please get in touch. In many cases, it is possible to reduce the amount donated or arrange a temporary pause.

If you wish to change or cancel a direct debit, please email us at foerderer@iro-dogs.org or call us on +43 662 82 65 26. We will be happy to assist you and provide confirmation if required.

If you have set up a standing order, you will need to change or cancel it directly with your bank, as we do not have access to it.

There are many ways in which companies can support our work. Together, we develop bespoke partnerships, fundraising initiatives and sponsorship projects that create lasting value for all involved.

For further information, please contact:

Daniela Rupp
M: daniela.rupp@iro-dogs.org
T: +43 662 82 65 26 12

Across Austria, our fundraisers speak with people directly – at their doorsteps or in busy public areas. Through these personal conversations, they raise awareness of our work and highlight the vital role search and rescue dogs play in finding missing or buried people. Their goal is to build lasting support for our mission.

Talking to people in person is one of the most effective ways to connect. It allows us to explain what we do, answer questions, and invite regular support. These donations make it possible to train skilled search and rescue dog teams worldwide – all to a consistently high standard.

Our fundraisers wear T-shirts and/or jackets with our logo and carry a clearly visible ID badge. They’re also equipped with a tablet, which they use to securely set up donation agreements on the spot.

All fundraisers are personally trained by us and follow strict quality standards. We expect them to act professionally and respectfully at all times. To ensure this, they receive ongoing support and supervision – because they represent not just our organisation, but also our values.

No – our fundraisers do not accept cash or in-kind donations, and they do not hand out payment slips. The goal of our face-to-face fundraising is to find people who are willing to support our work on a regular basis.

Donations are made exclusively by direct debit. You can choose how often you’d like to give – monthly, quarterly, biannually or annually. The agreement can be cancelled at any time, with no notice period and no obligations.

Small associations up to pro­fes­sion­al, state-run specialist or­ga­ni­sa­tions can apply for IRO Mem­ber­ship. IRO Members are cynological organisa­tions with a humanitarian goal and organisations that pro­mote search and rescue dog work. An official reg­is­tration in the re­spec­tive country is a prerequisite.

The IRO is an umbrella organisation whose members are organisations rather than individuals. As a dog handler, you can participate in IRO activities by joining an existing member organisation.

If your organisation is not yet a member, it can apply for IRO membership.

IRO members benefit from access to international courses, exams, mission readiness tests, and the IRO World Championship. Member organisations may also apply for financial support for their search and rescue dog activities.

Full members have voting rights at the Delegates' Meeting, where they help to shape the organisation's future development. The international IRO network also promotes exchange between handlers and experts worldwide.

Members receive regular updates through the specialist "IRO NRO Info" newsletter.

IRO members pay an annual membership fee. Every two years, documents must be submitted to the IRO Office for membership classification purposes.

Organisations that receive funding must also complete an annual statistics form and provide confirmation of how the funds were used.

In our specialist newsletter "IRO NRO Info" we regularly share updates on training, deployments, and current developments in search and rescue dog work.

Subscribe to the newsletter here.

Yes, many events related to the work of search and rescue dogs take place worldwide, especially around International Search and Rescue Dog Day, which is celebrated on the last Sunday in April each year.

The IRO Office in Salzburg regularly organises events where visitors can experience the work of search and rescue dog teams first-hand.

Visitors are also welcome at the IRO World Championship and many other tests and national championships. However, prior contact with the organisers is usually required.

Yes, even if you do not belong to an IRO member organisation, you can register as a dog handler with your dog for IRO Events such as courses, trainings or testing events and you will receive a place, as long as the event is not fully booked.