It's not just personal to me, but to every single person in Northern Ireland and wider as the K9 group have travelled to other countries to provide search and rescue aid.

Emergencies are unpredictable, and when they occur, the services of a competent K9 Search and Rescue team can be invaluable. However, the constant rejections of K9 Search and Rescue Northern Ireland by Minister Naomi Long to join the professional membership of NISAR prevent them from being included in vital search and rescue operations. 

K9 Search and Rescue Northern Ireland specializes in using highly trained dogs to locate missing persons or individuals in distress. They boast a commendable track record of successful rescues and have proven themselves to be a crucial resource in times of crisis. Yet, without affiliation with the Northern Ireland Search and Rescue group (NISAR), their expertise often goes untapped due to bureaucratic barriers.

The arbitrary denials involve serious risks, especially in potentially life-threatening situations where experienced K9 units could make the difference between life and death. The decisions made by the authorities must be reevaluated to ensure that the best resources are available in emergencies.

The government should exercise oversight over Minister Naomi Long's repeated refusal to accept the K9 Search and Rescue Northern Ireland into NISAR's professional membership. Implementing transparent review processes could help resolve the inconsistencies surrounding the membership criteria and approval process.

Together, we can rally support to make a significant change. Urge the relevant authorities to review Minister Naomi Long's decisions and pave the way for K9 Search and Rescue Northern Ireland to contribute their life-saving skills effectively.

Sign this petition to help ensure that Northern Ireland and wider  is prepared for emergencies with all available resources.

Here are some examples of reviews K9 Search and Rescue Northern Ireland have received from training, working and travelling other countries to render search and rescue services. 

"wonderful work from both handler and dog. Great asset to Bangor and N.i. I know Max...he is a wonderful with a fantastic owner. K9 all do fabulous work"

"Ryan, Max was right!  I was on the boat when he indicated and we all looked at each other!"

"These guys have been wonderful offered assistance to my family to look for a missing family member spent a lot of time out with the furry guys looking for him 🙏🥰 thank you all so much 🥰😘"

"these dogs are amazing and deserve to be highly commended for all their hard work with their handlers xx"

"Well trained Search and Rescue dogs are a great asset to the emergency services, they are few and far between unfortunately."

"It was my first time being found by Max today. While it was only training neither he nor his handler knew where I was and Max found me quickly and alerted my presence to his handler. I must admit it's a bit of a shock his face just appearing but if that had been for real you wouldn't care! Well done Max and handler."

And there are plenty more reviews. 

Work K9 Search and Rescue Northern Ireland have conducted as of 2025

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast-news/ni-rescue-team-returns-spain-30715258.amp​

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-64666074.amp​

https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/events/k9-search-and-rescue-on-course-to-become-bigger-and-better-a-year-after-winning-our-999-hero-award/a1806645055.html