HEROES come in many forms and to one family a dog from Powys will always be in store for a treat.

The German Shepherd cross known as Max and his handler, PC Peter Lloyd, have been named Powys Community Heroes Courage Award winners for their role in a life-saving rescue in 2020.

The duo were on their first assignment together when they joined the search for the mother and her one-year-old child who had been missing for two days in a very remote part of Powys.

The woman and her one-year-old son had spent the night outdoors in a remote area but an alarm was sounded when they did not return the following day.

Joining response, neighbourhood policing teams and specialist search officers, PC Lloyd and Max faced a huge task.

“They’d been missing for some time so there was big concern,” PC Lloyd said. “There was a one-year-old baby, it wasn’t a warm day and at night the temperature had dropped considerably. She’d been out all night with the child. You do ramp up your search and give it that extra bit.

PC Lloyd added: “His training is to search for open areas. We searched all sorts of terrain, ravines, valleys, lakes.

“Max remained focused throughout the long search and he proved invaluable when he reacted to the call for help which resulted in us locating them.”

The incident unfolded just five months after the duo first met. Their hard work and training paid off when Max picked up on a sound during the search.

The mother's car was found on a mountain road and that’s when Max’s tracking skills kicked in. After around 90 minutes, Max led PC Lloyd to the edge of the ravine where the woman was waving and calling for help.

Mother and baby were cold and tired, but otherwise unharmed.

PC Lloyd added: "As operational police dog handlers, we work hard training and developing our police dogs to ensure they are prepared for any situation where their expertise may be called upon.

"Max has undergone hours of search training and this incident was a great example of where that training paid off.

"I would like to thank everyone who voted for Max to be nominated for this award, and to the judges who decided he should be the recipient. He is very pleased – as am I.”

Inspector Jonathan Rees-Jones said: “I must give a special mention to PC Lloyd and Max, who on their very first day since completing their training together covered a significant amount of mileage in the search, eventually locating them safe.”

Max won an award at the Daily Mirror Animal Hero Awards 2020 for his tracking skills and can now add another award to the mantlepiece.

 

COURAGE AWARD, SPONSORED BY HUGHES ARCHITECTS
Hughes Architects is proud to be supporting the County Times Community Heroes Awards 2022 Awards.
As a local business firmly rooted in the heart of the Mid Wales community, we see every day the people who are making such a difference to other people’s lives through their work, volunteering or just being good neighbours.
With offices in Newtown, Welshpool and Aberystwyth, we’re an award-winning architectural practice providing a wide range of building design, planning and engineering services. 
From home extensions to new builds, conservation architecture to drainage surveys, commercial architecture to interior design.
Our team of architectural and planning professionals live and work in the area, embedded in the very communities where many of the heroes being celebrated in these awards live and work themselves.
Why not come and meet the team and discuss your architectural or planning needs. 
Visit www.hughesarchitects.co.uk to find out more.

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