IRO-Certified International Rescue Dog Examination to be Held (Rescue Dog Trainers' Association)

The International Rescue Dog Federation (IRO), headquartered in Australia, and the NPO Rescue Dog Trainers' Association (RDTA), an IRO member, will hold an international rescue dog examination.

Applicants from various regions across Japan, including Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Kanagawa, and Osaka, will gather, with 42 pairs challenging rubble search simulating collapsed houses and wide-area search simulating finding missing persons. The levels are divided into V (Beginner), A (Intermediate), and B (Advanced).

Event Details

* Date: May 8, 9, 10, 2026
* Location: RDTA Yatsugatake International Rescue Dog Training Center: 6729 Ochiai, Fujimi-machi, Suwa-gun, Nagano Prefecture
* Judges:
* 1st: Taewon Lee (IRO certified judge, Korea)
* 2nd: Pavel Sabacky (IRO certified judge, Czech Republic)
* *Judges may change depending on the number of participating teams, etc.

Examination Content

In accordance with the International Rescue Dog Examination Regulations (IPO-R) (final judgment is at the discretion of the judges).

Past International Rescue Dog Examination: Rubble Search

Dogs searching in rubble

Handlers propose search plans during the search, working as one with their dogs to maximize their abilities. They search for persons in need of rescue and protect the safety of their partner dogs.

Pairs that have passed the International Rescue Dog Examination have previously been deployed to the Kumamoto Earthquake and the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, conducting rescue operations with the police and other organizations.

Search during the Noto Peninsula Earthquake
Noto Peninsula Earthquake Search

Furthermore, in November of this year, the second domestic MRT (Movement Readiness Test), which serves as a deployment capability standard, is scheduled to take place. As RDTA requires B-level certified pairs to be eligible to take this test, each pair aims to pass the B-level examination.

Receiving rewards from helper roles during practice
Even in unstable footholds

For more details, please visit the NPO Rescue Dog Trainers' Association website:
https://rdta.or.jp/