Cadaver land search (sometimes called Human Remains Detection) utilises dog’s ability to detect the presence of cadaver scent particles. They are used worldwide by law enforcement agencies and search teams to find missing people and help solve criminal cases.
What is it? Cadaver land search (sometimes called Human Remains Detection) utilises dog’s ability to detect the presence of cadaver scent particles. They are used worldwide by law enforcement agencies and search teams to find missing people and help solve criminal cases.
Dogs that we use to fulfil this capability are highly trained and certified by NASDU as level 3 detection dogs. This will ensure they are capable of detecting human remains that may have also been buried.
There are two primary types of cadaver search that are carried out with trained dogs.
Open search – An open search is used whenever a missing person may have died. This can include searching woodland, open countryside or even urban areas. Dogs can pick up the smallest scent of cadaver on air particles and guide the handler to find the victim. Dogs can generally be deployed to find a missing person 48 hours after they may have deceased where cadaver scent may become evident.
Grid search – In the event that a person may have been buried, a dog is an effective way of locating the exact position of a grave. This can even be used to help solve historic cold cases. In order to use a dog to perform this task, large grids are placed over possible sites and holes are probed into the ground. This allows any trapped cadaver scent to escape and dogs can quickly move over grids and indicate on any sites of interest.