SARDAIOM Assessment Weekend (7th - 9th March 2025)

This past weekend marked another milestone for SARDA Isle of Man as we hosted a fantastic set of assessments, resulting in two outstanding achievements for our search dog teams.

A Strong Initial Grade Pass for Ben & Steve

Ben Scott, alongside his search dog Steve and navigator Mal Stewart, stormed through all four assessment areas with confidence and skill, securing a well-earned initial grade pass. This achievement means that Ben and Steve are now officially on the call-out list, ready to deploy at a moment’s notice to search for lost and missing persons.

Ben’s journey to this point has taken three years of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. There have been countless training hours, challenges along the way, and a true commitment to the process. We’re all incredibly proud of this well-deserved success. Congratulations, Ben & Steve!

Steve showing off his official orange coat and a proud Ben

Olivia & Mop Qualify for Lowland Upgrade

Olivia Crowe has also achieved an incredible milestone, passing her full Lowland upgrade assessment. This is a rigorous qualification that demands exceptional teamwork between handler and dog. Many teams take well over a year to reach this standard, with some not passing on their first attempt—but Olivia, supported by navigator Will Heap, qualified in just nine months!

Her success is all the more inspiring as she balances the demands of training, assessments, and family life. And to achieve this just one day after International Women’s Day? A truly impressive accomplishment!

The look of a tired search team, just as they're told they've passed.

Assessments & Teamwork

Assessments are only possible thanks to the collective effort of navigators, handlers, assessors, and volunteer "bodies" (people who hide for the dogs to locate). A huge thank you to our external assessors, John Romanes (Southern Scotland) and Jon Abrahamson (NSARDA Kent), who brought their expertise and support throughout the weekend.

A small selection of the amount of amazing people that made this weekend possible

Expanding Our Search Dog Capabilities

SARDA Isle of Man is proud to now have:

• Two fully qualified air-scenting dog teams

• One fully qualified trailing dog team

• Teams available 24/7 to assist in search and rescue efforts across the Isle of Man

As a fully voluntary charity with no government funding, we rely on the generosity of our supporters and sponsors. Thank you to everyone who continues to support SARDA IOM—we couldn’t do it without you!