Rescue Mission Pioneers: The Dog Handlers Saving Lives

These days, during *bein hazmanim* (interim periods), Mike Ben Yaakov, the leader of the Dog Handlers Unit, finds himself sleeping in different locations almost every night. "Five-star vacation," he jokes, referring to the stars overhead. This time, when the Jewish community goes on holidays, is when Mike's unit is most often called into action to help rescue and locate missing persons. He's constantly on the alert, sometimes spending consecutive nights in the field, ready to do whatever it takes to save lives. "Our unit is called 'YCHL' - the Dog Handlers Unit of Israel," Mike explains. "We use trained dogs to save lives. Our work is divided into two parts - we have rescue dogs to search for missing persons, and security dogs to assist in protecting communities. For the past six years, we've mainly focused on rescuing the missing." Mike highlights this: "All our work is voluntary. We have hundreds of volunteers nationwide who operate without any payment, plus a core team of dozens of volunteers who train with the dogs almost every day and participate in fieldwork. We offer 1,000 shekels to anyone who successfully locates a missing person, but many refuse the money, feeling that finding the person is the greatest reward. There's no doubt, these are incredible and inspirational people." Race Against Time How does the operation work? When are you called upon? "When someone goes missing and there's concern for their safety, various methods are employed to find them. There's the aerial and land approach of drones and ATVs, and then there's our field - the dogs. Our trained dogs can often pick up the human scent days after someone leaves an area. They can detect living beings and alert us to possible signs. We're usually called by the police, but sometimes the army, fire services, or directly by the families of the missing, and we strive to arrive and act as quickly as possible." Mike describes: "Initially, we find where the missing person was last seen. Sometimes witnesses direct us, allowing our tracking dogs to sniff an article of clothing and trace their route. If much time has passed, we turn to air-scenting dogs searching for a living presence. As long as someone is alive, their scent pervades through the air, which helps pinpoint them. Our dogs can sometimes find them in half an hour when it might take humans five hours." But doesn't the dog seek out any living person, sometimes leading you to someone else entirely? "On the contrary," smiles Mike. "Our dogs often reveal the presence of an entirely different missing person. It's a blessing." Specialized dogs are used when there seems to be no hope of finding a person alive. After days of searching, the task of finding remains is undertaken by special dogs trained to scent decay. These dogs often help bring closure by finding the missing, although deceased, allowing for a proper Jewish burial. "I always emphasize the merit required to find someone missing," says Mike. "Even the missing need merit that allows them to be found. It's not simple. We can scan complex areas for days, using every capability, yet find nothing. Just recently, we've been searching for a lone elderly man from Kiryat Ata who disappeared over a month ago. Many volunteers have since forgotten, but we aim not to give up. We diligently search every morning for hours before starting our day jobs." "Stay Safe" The volunteers are personally responsible for training the dogs. "Every dog undergoes training at the 'Magen Eretz Israel College,' which we established," says Mike. "Volunteers learn alongside their dogs - it's vital for the handler to effectively convey expectations and recognize the clues the dog provides." During *bein hazmanim*, the unit is especially active, and Mike advises on safe outdoor travel: "Bring plenty of water, never embark on unfamiliar paths, and if lost, stay put and stay calm." Reflecting on countless encounters, Mike recalls an event involving a yeshiva student lost near Jerusalem. "This time of year, I'm reminded of that case - it took days to find him, and I urge travelers never to separate." "Don't venture out late Friday mornings to avoid Shabbat conflicts," Mike advises. The unit frequently searches for the elderly, especially those with Alzheimer's. Mike mentions a memorable case of an elder leaving a nursing home. Only minimal info was available, forcing the unit to meticulously comb the area, finally finding him on the verge of discouragement in a dense thicket. "Never hesitate to reach out if suspicious," stresses Mike. "Together, we assess the situation to determine the best course of action. We aim to never give up, driven by faith in miracles and belief in Hashem, ensuring hope remains until a joyous resolution." Assess the case prompts, guide based on risk levels, ensuring each step is executed with care.