The first pet that Karen Nixon and her scent dog Halo found was a lost pooch named Penny Lane.

Penny had been missing for days in Pitt Meadows, and her distraught owner actually camped out at the dikes in Pitt Meadows for two nights, hoping they could find her.

Kylie Nicholls explained they had been out for a walk, unaware it was hunting season, and someone set off a deafening bear banger to scare up some geese. Penny Lane tore away in a panic, and couldnB次元官网网址檛 be called back. Nicholls and her partner tried to find the rescue from Mexico, but the dog vanished, and was not coming back. They put up lost dog posters, were active in social media, and had friends and volunteers out searching the area, with no luck.

Through that networking, she heard about Nixon and her scent dog in training, and got in touch. Nixon agreed it would be a great trial for the freshly trained Halo.

Nicholls soon got a tip about a sighting from a cyclist, and Nixon came to the scene. They let Halo sniff Penny LaneB次元官网网址檚 dog bed, and let her start sniffing. About a half hour later, they had the lost dog back.

Halo, a white Shepherd that is fast becoming a canine expert in tracking lost pets, picked up PennyB次元官网网址檚 scent on the dike. She tracked her to some dense bushes north of the Pitt River Bridge. It was blackberries, that looked like they had been woven together, and Nixon started to wonder what animal Halo might have been tracking.

B次元官网网址淪he was alerting to that bush, telling me B次元官网网址楶ennyB次元官网网址檚 in here,B次元官网网址� and I was just like B次元官网网址楬ow?B次元官网网址� said Karen. B次元官网网址淚 couldnB次元官网网址檛 believe she had gotten in there.B次元官网网址�

Then Nixon heard a slight whine.

B次元官网网址淲e saw here little eyes, and it was her,B次元官网网址� she recalled.

Nixon was impressed with her dog.

B次元官网网址淪he blew me away B次元官网网址� she did it so easily, so confidently.B次元官网网址�

Soon there was a tearful reunion.

B次元官网网址淲ithout Karen and Halo, we never would have found her,B次元官网网址� said Nicholls, noting that her dog had injuries to her pads, and was dehydrated and hungry, but otherwise fine. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 no words that can say how thankful I am to them.B次元官网网址�

Nixon said itB次元官网网址檚 gratifying work.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the best feeling B次元官网网址� the relief and joy,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the most rewarding thing ever.

B次元官网网址淎nd seeing the pet that was frightenedB次元官网网址� as soon as theyB次元官网网址檙e on the leash again, you see them visibly relax.B次元官网网址�

The Penny Lane rescue was the first of many, and Halo is regularly out searching for dogs and cats that go missing.

Nixon is a paramedic who lives in Maple Ridge, and bought a puppy two years ago from a breeder in Illinois.

Halo is a snow white Swiss Shepherd B次元官网网址� a breed that is popular in eastern Europe, and are sporting dogs used for tracking and obedience trials.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e a well-rounded, nice sporting dog,B次元官网网址� said Nixon. B次元官网网址淎nd they have an off switch at home. TheyB次元官网网址檙e really lovely dogs.B次元官网网址�

They soon formed a group called the Scent Rescue Team. Other members are Paige Millward, who has an Australian Shepherd named Bailey, and Stephanie Tolea who has a German Shepherd Elly. They have all had scent training.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e still very new, our dogs are still young, but so far weB次元官网网址檙e doing pretty good,B次元官网网址� said Nixon.

There are the three dog handlers, a drone flier, and they have some equipment such as dog and cat traps and nets. Advanced Drone Solutions is a Coquitlam business, and they volunteer their time for searches, asking only for their costs to be covered.

Nixon explained dogs that get severely frightened, such as from fireworks, can sometimes run away in a blind panic, and then go to ground in a hiding spot.

B次元官网网址淥nce they get into that fight-or-flight mode, they donB次元官网网址檛 even come for their owners,B次元官网网址� she said. After a while, she said, even hearing their name called B次元官网网址渂ecomes a trigger,B次元官网网址� and they wonB次元官网网址檛 come out of hiding.

Scent dogs make the task of finding them a lot easier. A young Chihuahua had been missing for about five hours, and Halo found the dog under a neighbourB次元官网网址檚 house in about 10 minutes.

Nixon knows personally the trauma a person feels at losing their pet, and even before she had Halo she would help people in the search.

B次元官网网址淚 really feel for these people, and understand how terrifying it is,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 charge. We just recently started accepting donations.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 hope more people reach out to me.B次元官网网址�

Anyone looking for a lost pet can ask for their help on the page on Facebook. She asks that they post a photo and message, email scentrescueteam@gmail.com, and there are also phone numbers on the site.

Their members are in Vancouver, Langley and Maple Ridge, and they search for pets across the region.

Nixon would also encourage other people to join the hobby. Any breed can do it, and she noted that pugs are surprisingly good at scent tasks.

B次元官网网址淒ogs love jobs, and itB次元官网网址檚 a really great bonding experience with your dog,B次元官网网址� she said.

READ ALSO: