Conservation Dogs Australia
Projects
Canidae Development is involved in a range of projects across industry and not for profit sectors. All our projects are conducted in consultation with ecologist, researchers, and industry experts to ensure projects deliver positive environmental and community outcomes.
Conservation
Conservation Ecology Centre
Otways Conservation Dogs
The Otways Conservation Dogs is an innovative program by Conservation Ecology Centre. This group of volunteer handlers are dedicated to training detection dogs to locate latrine sites (scat) of the endangered Tiger Quoll. The information gained through DNA analysis of the scats enable the CEC to build a map of habitat usage by Tiger Quolls in the Otways, enabling strategic conservation management.
Canidae Development provides training, assessment, and advice on the use of minimal impact survey methodologies utilising detection canines in sensitive environmental areas.
Mount Rothwell
Conservation Dog Program
Mt Rothwell Biodiversity Interpretation Centre (Mt Rothwell) is the largest predator free ecosystem in Victoria which is home to Australia’s most threatened faunal species, including the Eastern Barred Bandicoot (EBB) and Eastern Quoll.
Mt Rothwell has developed an innovative program utilising dogs to detect active rabbit warren while leaving the native inhabitants undisturbed. A unique part of the program includes investigating if Dingoes can be trained to be part of the program.
Canidae Development is assisting to develop the Dingo training and provide advice to further refine this program.
Industry
Renewable Energy Industry
Environmental Surveys
Working in partnership with Elmoby Ecology, Canidae Development provide professionally trained detection dog teams to conduct mortality surveys on wind farms.
Using detection dog teams we achieve higher accuracy and efficiency than traditional survey methods allowing Elmoby Ecology to better identify, understand and report on impacts across a range of species.
Forestry Industry
Koala Scat Surveys
Canidae Development provide professionally trained detection dog teams to undertake Koala scat surveys.
Data collected by our teams is used to help determine the presence of Koalas in a range of environments. This information is used to advise management strategies for planning purposes.
Community
Emergency Services
Canine Search Specialist Course
Search and Rescue Dogs Australia Inc. (SARDA) held the first national Urban Search And Rescue (USAR) Canine Search Specialist Course at the new Victorian Emergency Management Training Centre.
This course was conducted by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) USA instructors. Participants consisted of USAR K9 handlers and multi-agency taskforce members from Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, and New Zealand.
Canidae Development provided project management and helped secure funding through the Natural Disaster Resilience Scheme Grant for SARDA.
Federal Government
Australian Search Dog Framework
Canidae Development directors, Luke and Tracy, co-authored and presented a report to their local Federal member of Parliament Hon Member for Wannon Dan Tehan on the use of Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) dog teams, demonstrating the need for a coordinated national approach for the deployment of the canine capability for national and international response to disasters.
This report became the foundation of the Federal Liberal Party Policy for the creation of the 'Australian Search Dog Framework' to assist in creating a more resilient community.
This project was nominated as the Victorian representative at the National Disaster Resilience Awards in 2014.