K9 heroes receive top honour

Dedication and a passion for uncovering what is otherwise hidden paid off for Umhlali K9 unit’s Sergeant Clinton Odayar, when he was recently honoured for his services by the minister of police.

The 37-year-old dog handler received a commendation certificate for his efforts in finding a missing child during a storm in 2016.

“An 18-month-old baby was reported missing by the family after two days.

“Together with my dog and partner, Dante, I knew that we would find him.

“It took 45 minutes to find him in one-and-a-half metre tall grass about 200 metres away from his home. He was dehydrated but otherwise fine,” said Odayar.

The K9 officer has been in the police force for 16 years and a dog handler in the K9 unit since 2015.

Also read: A K9 to count on

He said his dedication stemmed from his passion for helping people which he does with his four-year-old cadaver German Shepherd, Dante, by his side.

The two, who are best friends, met at the SAPS Dog School in Pretoria in November 2015, where they spent five months in cadaver dog training and bonding.

Cadaver dog training is achieved through an imprinting process where dogs get conditioned to the scents of people who are both alive and dead.

These are the only two scents they look for when they are searching for missing people.

If dogs are looking for someone who is alive, they are given a shoe or shirt that has the scent of the lost person on it.

Searching for criminals and recovering missing people are just a part of everyday life for this dynamic duo.

Although he has seen many successes through the years, Odayar said he did not expect to receive a commendation certificate as his best reward is a positive outcome on the job.

“It was completely unexpected but so pleasant none the less.”

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