Two police dogs are publically recognized for a good deed, the discovery of a missing person/Atsugi

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1202160024/

February 16, 2012

"Rin" receiving dog food from Police Chief Suzuki. "Max" is pictured on the left=Atsugi Police Station

For their contributions in discovering a missing person, 2 police dogs were publically recognized on the 16th at the Atsugi Police Headquarters Forensics Branch.

Max (Age 3, male) and Rin (Age 3, female) received recognition from the police chief. According to the police station, at around 5:40 in the afternoon of the 10th, the dogs took part in an investigation of a person who had gone missing in Nanasawa, Atsugi City. They discovered the 20 year old unemployed female in safe condition, relying on the smell of her handbag that was left behind. The discovery was said to be made 10 minutes after the beginning of the search.

Police Chief Suzuki Haruhito presented the dogs with a certificate of commendation and dog food. He commented: "The weather was cold on the day of the search. The time of discovery secured the person's life," as he thanked the dogs for their efforts.

Rin, who discovered the missing woman, spent about a year working as the junior with the department's ace dog Mei, who passed away in January. Police Sergeant Ueno Wani (36) commented: "This is the greatest stretch of time we've had working with the dogs. I would like various other dogs to learn to become like how Mei was," he spoke with expectation.

Original text:

お手柄警察犬２匹を表彰、行方不明者を発見/厚木

2012年2月16日

鈴木署長（左）からドッグフードをもらうリン号。左はマックス号＝厚木署

行方不明者の発見に貢献したとして、厚木署は16日、県警本部鑑識課所属の警察犬２匹を表彰した。

署長賞を受けたのは、マックス号（３歳・雄）とリン号（同・雌）。同署によると、２匹は10日午後５時40分ごろ、厚木市七沢で行方不明となっていた無職女性（20）を本人の手袋のにおいを頼りに無事発見した。捜索を始めて約10分というスピード発見という。

２匹に表彰状とドッグフードを手渡した鈴木美仁署長は「寒い日の捜索だった。発見に時間がかかったら命にかかわるところだった」と労をねぎらった。

女性を発見したリン号は、１月に死んだエース犬メイ号と１年ほどともに勤務をこなした直接の後輩犬。担当の上野和仁巡査部長（36）は「いまが一番伸びる時期。いろいろ学んでメイ号のようになってほしい」と期待を寄せていた。