Photo Credit: Atkins
Background to the Working Group
The Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) SW Section convened a workshop in December 2018 that looked at how to get detection dogs more widely used in ecology. One of the outcomes was to set up a 'Working Group' to implement the recommendations from the workshop. This Working group was formed in 2019 and has been working from it's creation to include the promotion of high quality standards. This includes identifying mechanisms to address some of the potential barriers to the widespread and responsible adoption of detection dogs to assist ecological surveys within Britain and Ireland.
The working group aims to share knowledge and raise awareness and acceptance of the use of dogs in ecology and conservation, promote development of research-based standards, create a culture of responsible dog uses using accredited teams.
The need for accreditation in Britain and Ireland
The use of detection dogs for wildlife surveys in Britain and Ireland is a growing field and is taking steps to ensure risks and potential effects on wildlife are reduced and to ensure the quality of the results obtained.
To obtain reliable results it is important that robust scientific methods are followed, both during the training of the dog and handler and for the survey design and search methodology. It is imperative that experienced and well-trained dog and handler teams are used and these required skills can take years to develop. It is therefore important for the safety of the handler, the dog, and for wildlife, as well as for the quality of the work, that anyone seeking to engage dog and handler teams on a project should ask for evidence of how these teams meet the required level of competence to carry out the work.
Meetings and Key Outcomes
Meeting Dates | Key Outcomes |
|---|---|
22 November 2022 | • Elected new board
• Update on review of the group
• Discussion around future of the group and potential models of association that the group could adopt |
4th May 2022 | - recommendations put forward to streamline themes and simplify Group structure. |
17th January 2022 | Board Creation and 1st Meeting |
13th April 2022 | Facebook Page Creation & Discussion Group |
25th August 2021 | • Discussion around membership rules and code of conduct |
• Members area of website launched | |
1st Feb 2021 | • New theme and ‘break out’ meeting group structure introduced |
• Discussed species-specific ‘bolt-on’ courses to LANTRA accreditation | |
17th August 2020 | • Discussed approval of first LANTRA training centre and the potential for recognition by CIEEM |
_ | • Discussed refinements to website design |
29th June 2020 | • Discussed production of guidelines and LANTRA accreditation process |
2nd March 2020 | • Discuss content and scope of LANTRA accreditation process |
_ | • Agree to work on website |
_ | • Agree to work on logo |
4th February 2020 | • Discuss topics raised in recent presentation from a member of ACDN |
_ | • Agree to take forward a program of speakers |
_ | • Agree to share knowledge/collaborate with Australian Conservation Dogs Network (ACDN)
|
14th October 2019 | • Members working on writing guidelines document |
_ | • Agree objectives of the group |
19th July 2019 | • Start up meeting and introductions
|