September 27th, 2018: On September 23rd it was . Mrs. Anne Twist, mom of Harry Styles, tweeted in support of a new project called Search Dog Heroes which will train ground scenting search dogs to find missing people. The project also plans to equip caretakers with the knowledge and the tools needed to act immediately when a loved one goes missing. The support by Mrs. Anne Twist on World Alzheimer Day underscores the fact that often elderly adults affected by neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer or dementia go missing because they do not recognize or remember places or people.

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The project was just launched by two UK charities, Missing People and Lowland Rescue, which have come together and have won a 1 million pounds award by People’s Postcode Lottery, specifically to support this new project. The award money will be used to train 100 dogs to follow scents and find missing people. The funds will be also used to create kits that loved ones can use to capture and preserve the scent of a family member at risk of going missing. Loved ones will be also instructed on how to collect information quickly and immediately launch a search.

Missing People, one of the two charities supporting this project, is the only UK charity dedicated to the search for missing children and adults. The charity works to disseminate the information and photos of missing people, and to support loved ones via their 24/7 hotline. Dissemination of the information and photos is done via flyers that are affixed in public places and via their supporting partners which include hostels, soup kitchens, and mental health support services. The supporting partners are briefed about each case of missing person and are asked to affix flyers on their premises. Missing People maintains a website where information and photos of children and adults that have gone missing are stored. The work of Missing People is done in parallel with work done by the police. The hope is that there will be sightings or that the missing person, by seeing the flyers, will be encouraged to contact their family. Sightings can be communicated anonymously or not via phone or online.

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LowLand Rescue, the other charity that supports Search Dog Heroes, was founded in 1991 and originally it comprised 4 teams. Over the years it has grown to include 36 teams totaling 1,800 professionally trained volunteers who participate in search and rescue missions throughout the UK “From Hill to High Water”. LowLand Rescue is a member of the UK Government’s UKSAR Operator’s Group, “the official group which governs all of the UK’s onshore and offshore search and rescue operations”.

Please visit Missing People and Lowland Rescue websites if you want to learn more about how you can help these charities.

Pictures credit to Missing People and Lowland Rescue websites and twitter accounts, and to Mrs. Anne Twist Instagram.