Published by Robert L Senior Reporter on Thursday, 27th June 2024, at 15:40hrs
Urban Search and Rescue dog Sidney has finally retired after eight years of incredible service.
In a social media post, Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service said,
“After nearly eight years of incredible service, our beloved black Labrador, Fire Search Dogs Sidney is officially retiring!
From his start in 2017, Sidney, has been a member of our Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team. Throughout his career, our black Labrador has been an invaluable asset in numerous multi-agency incident responses, including collapsed structures and open area searches. He has also participated in many national and international exercises with both USAR and the UK International Search and Rescue team.
One of Sidney’s most notable deployments was to Hatay Province, Turkey, following the devastating earthquake in February 2023. Working under extremely challenging conditions, Sidney performed dozens of searches, proving his exceptional abilities and determination.
As Sidney enjoys a well-deserved retirement, his understudy, Fozzy, a two-year-old Belgian Malinois Collie cross, is ready to step up. Trained and mentored by Sidney, Fozzy has successfully passed his final test for National Resilience and is set to take on his new role with enthusiasm.
Jon Hardman, Sidney’s handler, says he will continue to keep Sidney active with simpler, short searches, ensuring he enjoys a fulfilling retirement.
Please join us in thanking Sidney for his incredible service and wishing him a very happy retirement!
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