The SARDA Scotland logo, as used by the founder Hamish MacInnes in 1965

 Castaway puppy has a new life in search and rescue

born during tv reality show, it now tracks down missing people

 By Alistair Beaton

 Published:06/09/2008

A puppy born during the filming of the reality television show Castaway has grown into a leading role in real-life dramas, by helping track down missing people.

Border collie Si is now one of 20 dogs working with SARDA - the Search and Rescue Dogs Association Scotland - who brave all weathers, hunting for people lost on snow-covered mountains or windswept cliffs and coasts.

During five years of service, he has been used in all types of incidents.

‘I have lost count of the number of call-outs, but one thing I know is that I can always count on Si, whatever the situation,’ said owner John Easton.

He has helped trace patients who have wandered off from hospitals, injured climbers, children hurt in cliff falls and adults threatening suicide in remote areas.

‘He is a wonderful dog. All Si asks at the end of each search is to play with his favourite toy, an old piece of rope,’ said his 58-year-old handler.

He is the third rescue dog the former countryside ranger, who worked at Balmedie Country Park for 16 years, has trained. Each was trained to find a favourite toy, which is produced at the end of each operation.

‘The shared joy is to successfully find a missing person. That is the ultimate achievement, just to track down someone safe and well,’ added Mr Easton.

‘Even when we are not directly involved, the fact we have been searching another area means the rest of a team is freed up to widen the hunt. Dogs like Si can cover an area that could take 40 people to comb, particularly in poor weather conditions.’

Si has been known to hit a scent of a climber lying quarter of a mile away, invisible under 18 inches of snow.

Mr Easton, of Hightown, Collieston, became involved with SARDA while working in Edinburgh in the 1980s. The former Aberdeen Grammar School pupil met a team exercising in the hills and later learned more about the invaluable work done by search dogs from legendary climber, mountain rescue team leader and association founder and honorary secretary, Hamish MacInnes of Glencoe. Si was born on Taransay during the filming of Castaway 2000, and was rehomed through the Scottish SPCA.

Father-of-two Mr Easton said: ‘They told me he was blind in one eye, but it doesn’t affect him at all.’

‘He is one of the family, and the team.’

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