Tributes paid to search dog who saved lives and found missing teen

Search & Rescue Dog Association (Scotland) confirmed that Chivas had died at the age of 17 on December 5.

Tributes paid following death of retired search dog Chivas who saved lives and found missing teenager — Chivas: The retired search dog first qualified in 2008 and was credited with six official finds before retiring just a couple years ago. Facebook

11th Dec 2023

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Tributes have been paid following the death of a retired search dog, who helped save lives and found a missing teenager.

Search & Rescue Dog Association (Scotland) confirmed that Chivas had died at the age of 17 on December 5.

The search dog first qualified in 2008 and was credited with six official finds before retiring just a couple of years ago.

Chivas’ training and instinct stayed with him into retirement and earlier this year, while on a walk with his handler, discovered a missing teenage girl.

Chivas was credited with six official finds during his career. Facebook

Unbeknown to his handler, the girl had been reported missing and was sitting on a frosty path in a remote area.

The pup was beloved among his local community and was a familiar sight at Tweed Valley MRT events, Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival and team charity walks.

Outside of mountain rescue, Chivas was a very well travelled dog with many trips to the Highlands and two trips to the Arctic along with other adventures with his handler.

A spokesperson for Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team released a statement about the “sad” news and sent condolences to Chivas’ handler and family.

They added that the pup would be “missed by everyone in the MRT community but especially so by members of Search & Rescue Dog Association (Scotland) and Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team”.