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The MST will ensure that a supply of suitable medications and medical devices (Appendix1) is made available in line with the requirements for the human contingent (MST006).
 

The MST members will attend an approved canine first aid course. The content of this course will be defined by appropriate veterinary advisors. (Appendix 2). At least one veterinary trained MST member must be deployed on all missions.

Dog handlers will attend an approved canine first aid course.(Appendix 2).
 

The MST will liaise with veterinary advisors to establish lines of communication.
 

Dog handlers will ensure that all necessary paperwork and ‘passports’ are maintained and are an accurate record.
 

Dog handlers will ensure that they have an accurate measurement of their dogs weight in kilogrammes.

At the departure point all canines must have a veterinary check prior to departure.
 

Veterinary checks will be carried out by a nominated MST member to confirm that the canine is fit for operational deployment and the relevant documentation is correct, before boarding the aircraft.

Each canine must have a daily health check carried out by an appointed MST member during the duration of the deployment.  A written record will be maintained by the medical officer.

All canines must be under control at all times and predetermined areas must be selected for loose exercising when overseas, to reduce the risk of coming into contact with local animals, especially other canines.

Canine sleeping quarters must be safe and secure to prevent the canine from being loose when a competent person is not present.  The positioning of the canine sleeping quarters must allow the canine, total undisturbed rest from other rescue workers operations.

Whilst operationally deployed either in the UK or overseas, a competent team member must be handling or monitoring the canine/s at any one time, if the canines are not securely kennelled.

Canines must be exercised at least a minimum of 3 times per day if kennelled in air portable kennel systems when not working.
 

When temperatures are excessive the canine/s must be kept in a shaded area and monitored constantly by a competent team member to prevent possible heat stroke / exhaustion.

Clean drinking water must be available to the canine at all times in the base camp area and offered to the canine at regular intervals during taskings.

Canine feeding, The following considerations need to be taken in to account when feeding canines on deployment:

Ensure the canines have an opportunity to relieve themselves prior to:

All canine faeces must be picked up and disposed of correctly in the designated area for waste disposal. Canines must not be permitted to urinate or defecate within the clean base camp areas and should where possible do so in an area designated for this purpose.

A suitable and sufficient risk assessment must be carried out by the handler to ascertain the safety and welfare of the canine at all times; e.g. to establish whether protective canine boots are needed for the risk area to minimise the potential injury to the canine’s feet.

When working in an operational role for more than 18hrs the handler must make sure that the canine receives at least six hours undisturbed rest in every 24 hour period. 

The handler also has the responsibility to monitor at all times and make sure that their canine receives adequate rest periods during work tasks to prevent fatigue, stress to the canine.

The handler must always carry their day pack, which includes a first aid pack on any operational task, and when they are away from their base location.

Canines must be cleaned and washed down if needed on return from an operational task, if they are contaminated from the environment that they have been working in. (Appendix 4)

Handlers must carry out a full check on their canine after each operational tasking.

On completion of each working period (search) individual canines are to be thoroughly checked for injury by carrying out a full body canine check. This should initially be carried out by the handler. The handler will maintain a record of said checks. An appointed MST clinical may also carry out such checks as required and may be called upon for a second opinion by handlers if required.

The duty MST clinician will ensure that canine welfare is checked at least twice a day, in line with the human welfare check process.

All injuries, fatigue, or illness to the handler or canine must be reported immediately to the duty MST clinician (Delta Tango), UKISARG Team Leader and SAR Canine coordinator.

Any ’medical/surgical decisions’ regarding the care of the canines will be agreed with the MST clinician responsible and the handler.

If required and available additional veterinary advice will be sought from veterinary advisors in the UK. A list of volunteers is attached as Appendix 3.

In the event that euthanasia is considered for a canine, this decision will be made in conjunction with the MST clinician, handler, canine team leader and the UKISARG team leader. The handlers wishes will be paramount.