A Perthshire charity has helped Tayside Police to boost its puppy power.
Light our Way was launched in 2009 by Tricia Bremner in support of the force’s specialist dogs section. Since then it has helped Tayside Police drive forward its breeding programme.
The latest arrival is an eight-week old German Shepherd, whose name will be chosen by pupils at Liff Primary School. He is being looked after by force trainer PC Stephen Ritchie, who for five years worked with the pup’s father, Amstel.
While other dogs are used to sniff out drugs, the new arrival will train for search and rescue.
Over the next seven or eight years he will play a lead role in both rescues and missing person investigations.
Sergeant Bob Saunders, from the Tayside Police dog section, said breeding and training the dogs is an expensive process, making the support from Light our Way vital.
”We really appreciate the support of the community and hopefully this dog will benefit the community in return for a long time,” he said.
”Thanks to the involvement of the community and the help of Mrs Bremner and her team the breeding programme continues to provide use with incredible dogs, and hopefully this will continue for years to come.
”More and more we use our dogs for missing person searches, whether we are looking for the old, the mentally handicapped or simply those who feel they have nothing to live for anymore.”
Since 2009, Mrs Bremner’s charity has offered significant financial support to Tayside Police and its dog section. All proceeds from charity shops in Perth and now Coupar Angus go directly to support the training and raising of the search and rescue dogs.
Supporting the dogs and their search and rescue activities is a cause that is close to the heart of Mrs Bremner, who had to rebuild her life after tragedy struck her family in 1999.
Her son Errol lorry driver Adam Alexander went missing in that year and, while a man has since been jailed for his death, Mr Alexander’s final resting place never been found.
”Through their generous support the people of Tayside have helped me to fund this dog,” Mrs Bremner said. ”These really are fantastic dogs and they offer the best possible chance of finding people out in the countryside.
”When people go missing these dogs will go where no man will dare venture.”