Ready to unravel the world of pet recovery with a seasoned expert? I promise you an enlightening journey with Annalisa Berns, a seasoned tracker and responder in the field since 2005, who will fascinate you with her wealth of knowledge and experience. Annalisa shares her insights about the complex yet rewarding world of pet recovery, discussing everything from search-and-rescue training to utilizing dogs in the recovery process. She highlights the importance of understanding animal behavior, finder behavior, owner behavior, and local laws to significantly enhance the chances of finding a lost pet. This conversation is not just for professionals in pet recovery but also for hobbyists and pet owners.

We venture into the mesmerizing realm of scent-specific and general scent searches. Annalisa explains how dogs are trained to follow unique scents and the parameters they use to pick up and follow a scent trail. We also distinguish between tracking and other forms of scent detection, an essential knowledge for anyone involved in pet recovery.

Our conversation takes a sharp turn toward a challenging yet vital aspect of pet recovery: finding deceased pets. Annalisa candidly discusses the complexities of scent detection and the struggles of matching a pet with a mummified animal's body. She underscores the importance of providing closure to pet owners, even when the outcome is not as hoped. Annalisa also enlightens us on the reward system for dogs after a successful search, shedding light on the hard work and dedication that goes into finding missing pets. Join us for this insightful conversation that will leave you with a newfound appreciation for pet recovery.

"No Place Like Home" is a podcast about missing pets. I feature content from owners, finders, volunteers, and professionals.

I always appreciate a rating and review on your podcast app and a follow on Facebook, where you can find the show at nplhmitch. Find episodes, transcripts, and additional information at noplacelikehome.show.

If you have questions or feedback, you can contact me at nplhmitch@gmail.com.

Remember to always think missing, not stray or dumped.

This podcast was created, hosted, recorded, and produced by me, Mitch Bernard. The opinions expressed on this show are those of the people expressing them and do not necessarily represent the views of any other entity.