Police Dog Awarded for Life-Saving Search in Perthshire
A police dog who played a crucial role in saving a man's life in Perthshire has been honored with a special award at the Crufts Dog Show.
Cocker Spaniel Mac and his handler, PC Andy Inglis, received the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) Police Dog Action of the Year award after locating a man who had been missing for 17 days.
Mac, a victim detection dog, accompanied PC Inglis on a 30km search spanning five days to find the man, who was initially feared to have died.
The missing individual was discovered alive but in a severely weakened state, sheltered under a fallen tree and tarpaulin. Mac alerted rescuers after running down a steep embankment.
Inglis and Mac were presented with their award in the main arena at Crufts, held in Birmingham on Sunday.
PC Andy Inglis, 50, expressed his pride in Mac, who lives with him in Larbert alongside his wife, three children, and another police dog, a German Shepherd named Arlo.
"The nature of my job is I'm expecting to find someone deceased, so when they're alive, it's a completely different emotion."
"Dogs are naturally inquisitive so even though he's not trained to find a living person, he did it by instinct."
Details of the Search Operation
Following an investigation in March 2025 to locate a high-risk missing person, it was believed the man had traveled into a glen in Dunkeld.
The search was extensive, involving methodical coverage of terrain including overgrowth, felled trees, brambles, and bushes.
On the fifth day of the search, five-year-old Mac ran down a steep embankment near a waterfall. PC Inglis observed a change in Mac's body language, indicating the dog was alerting him to something unusual in the area.
The man was found extremely weak, struggling to walk, and had not consumed water or food for several days.
Rescue and Aftermath
PC Inglis alerted a colleague, and together the officers carried the man for 90 minutes, supporting him to a path where a full rescue could be conducted.
"My motivation is there's a family who wants to know what's happened to their loved one and I don't want another dog walker to find someone this way."
"Mac's favourite toy is his ball, so that was his reward. As we carried the man to safety, in Mac's mind his job was done so he walked ahead chewing his toy."
Recognition from Police Leadership
Chief Constable Jo Farrell praised the award as a reflection of the professionalism, determination, and exceptional teamwork demonstrated by PC Inglis and Mac.
"It gives me immense pride to congratulate Andrew and Mac."
"Due to their life-saving work, hope was restored to a family during what must have been an unimaginably distressing time."
"Police dogs and their handlers share a unique bond, and together they demonstrated the highest standards of operational excellence."
