Latest news

Swimming with your dog

Our tips for a safe and fun day by the water.

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Ready when it matters most

In the mission readiness test, our search dogs prove that they can be trusted when people go missing.

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Get your pup ready for spring

Five essential tips to keep your dog happy and healthy this spring – from grooming to staying active and everything in between!

 

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With a keen nose and a big heart

From their first training session to real-life missions – how Fiel and Gabriela became a well-coordinated team.

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A bond forged for life-saving missions

Trust, training, success: Join us on the inspiring journey of Jurgen and Fjiero.

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Quickfire questions with Alarico Sberlati

Interview with the four time world champion in search and rescue dog work.

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Tick-borne diseases: Lyme disease

IRO Vet Dr Alexander Hönel explains what you as a dog owner should know about this insidious disease.

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Tunnel collapse in Thailand

Search and rescue dog teams supported the search for three missing workers.

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Brix finds missing woman

Thanks to the male Malinois, the search for a missing elderly woman comes to a successful conclusion after 48 hours.

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Tick-borne diseases: Anaplasmosis

In the second part of our summer series on tick-borne diseases, IRO Vet Dr Alexander Hönel focuses on anaplasmosis.

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Stronger together for the common good

IRO and HRDD International are joining forces with the aim of increasing efficiency in the rescue and recovery of casualties.

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Tick-borne diseases: Babesiosis

In a three-part series, our vet Dr Alexander Hönel sheds light on the main diseases transmitted by ticks.

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Gamba, the gentle water rescuer

The giant schnauzer lady with the shiny black coat is currently training to become a water rescue dog.

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Deployment after historic flood

Search dogs have been looking for survivors under mud and rubble in southern Brazil since the end of April.

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Hiking with dogs

Find out what to look out for on a tour with your furry friend.

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It's my life purpose

For dog handler Kaori Oshima from Japan, working with search and rescue dogs is an important part of her life.

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Together we can move mountains

Astrid Laner spoke to us about her special relationship with dogs, which she has cherished since early childhood.

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It's my way of life

Sava Zibler is a dedicated search and rescue dog handler and an inspiring example of how to balance family, career and voluntary work.

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Fancy a game of hide and seek?

We are looking for helpers who are willing to act as hiding persons for our dogs.

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Winter dog care

Five tips to keeping you and your dog safe throughout the winter months.

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What your donation can do

Learn how much good your donation can do, no matter the amount.

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27. IRO WCH for Search Dogs

A get together of the world's best super snoopers.

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Four-legged heroes

Their social behaviour makes dogs loyal companions, while their keen noses make them professional assistants in disasters.

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The superpower dog nose

A dog's nose is a masterpiece of nature and their most important sensory organ for finding their way around their environment.

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From foster dog to search and rescue dog

Paxi was an unwanted pup with no family to call her own and now she is a real lifesaver.

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My first earthquake mission

Arvi was part of a six-member team that supported the search efforts after the massive earthquake in Türkiye in February 2023.

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Search dogs on the ground in Türkiye

Teams from all over the world supported the search efforts after the devastating earthquake in the Syrian-Turkish border region.

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Mental strength is key in search and rescue

An interview with IRO Classifier Engels Cortés about his career, defining moments and the work as a search dog handler.

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A childhood dream comes true

Wordrap with Japanese search and rescue dog handler Ryoko Murase.

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A life dedicated to search dogs

Detlef Kühn is an IRO Supporter from the very beginning and devoted himself to the training of search and rescue dogs.

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Not just an ordinary search dog training

At the end of last year, a team of four IRO Trainers set off for Ukraine to work intensively with the search and rescue dog teams there.

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Search dogs ready for international missions

24 teams from eight nations took on the demanding test.

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World Champions in Rubble Search

Search and rescue dog handler Jörg Klapper and Giant Schnauzer Cooper Con Todos Los Santos.

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With the right nose to World Cup gold

Search and rescue dog handler Eric Doneux and grey German Shepherd Q’Odja Van Gruut Roy.

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Asgard finds missing person in forest

A successful first mission for the four-year-old search dog from the BRH Rettungshundestaffel Prignitz e.V.

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A world class duo

Search and rescue dog handler Kirsi Myöhänen and Labrador Retriever Noseworks Ukko “Jedi”.

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Facts about the search and rescue dog

You always wanted to know what it means to be a search and rescue dog? We can tell you.

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Successful search mission in Italy

The search for a woman suffering from Alzheimer's disease ended successfully thanks to Labrador dog Bolina and dog handler Daniela.

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International Mission Test

It takes practice to save lives. During a several-day operational test, 33 search and rescue dog teams from nine nations demonstrated their skills.

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2nd IRO WCH in Avalanche Search

From 3 to 6 February 2022, canines from six nations took part in the international competition.

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One inseparable team

A story of mountain guide Gonzalo Fano and his furry companion India.

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Strength lies in calmness

Several times a week, the adorable Bloodhound girl trains to become a Mantrailer.

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Ready to save lives

Arvi has reached a milestone in his training as search and rescue dog. From now on, no operation of his unit will take place without him.

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From difficult dog to lifesaver

Draco was considered difficult in his early months of life. Today he writes heroic stories.

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The search and rescue dog competence

IRO Spokesperson for Training & Judges Jerneja Ternovec about the importance of uniform quality standards in the training of search and rescue dogs.

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Search for young missing boy

A four-year-old disappeared unnoticed. For five days there was no trace of him.

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Becoming a search and rescue dog

My life started out difficult and not the way I had imagined it.

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Mission test for super snoopers

Numerous search and rescue dog teams took part in the demanding IRO Mission Readiness Test in the discipline of Area Search.

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Mudslide after heavy rain

Search and rescue dog teams from our Japanese member organisation RDTA assisted in the search for missing persons.

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Search teams called in after tornado

A severe tornado left a trail of devastation in the Czech Republic.

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Woman missing after gas explosion

The IRO tested Brazilian search and rescue dog team Valdeley Marques with dog Marley was involved in the search.

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Building collapse caused by a fire

A dangerous mission for our national search and rescue dog teams in Bangkok, Thailand.

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Severe gas explosion

IRO Spokesperson for Deployment Markus Bock, who had been involved in the mission with dog Egmont, describes what happened.

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Strong earthquake in Croatia

Thanks to the search and rescue dogs, six people were located under the rubble and saved by the emergency forces.

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Dogs in the search for persons

Interview with IRO Classifier, Judge and Trainer Alois Russegger about Mantrailing.

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Delegates Meeting

Interesting reports, lively discussions and an exciting election of the Executive Board.

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Ray, the natural born search and rescue dog

Golden Retriever Ray of Light showed at an early age the disposition to be a search and rescue dog.

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The IRO Trainers' pool continues to grow

Exciting and informative training days guided by the IRO Lead Trainers Rolf Häusermann, Magdalena Koczera and Alois Balog.

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Our top 15 fundraising ideas

We have gathered a few ideas and suggestions on how you can use a personal occasion to support our super snoopers.

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IRO Water Course in Austria

From 4 to 6 September 2020, we organised a water course at Lake Traunsee.

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Our first international deployment

Interview with Denis Laus about the mission in Lebanon after the explosion in the port of Beirut.

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A day I will never forget

A report by Petr Svoboda on the international disaster mission in Beirut, Lebanon.

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Ares, the spirited rascal

Since the age of two, Ares has been a qualified search and rescue dog in the disciplines of Area, Avalanche and Rubble Search.

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Witness our furry heroes up close

Join us at the World Championship for search dogs

The 29. IRO WCH will take place from 16 to 21 September in Rapšach, Czechia. You can find more details here.

Visit our WCH website