When people imagine animals helping with difficult search and rescue work after disasters, crimes or conflicts, dogs are usually the first to come to mind. Search dogs are incredibly skilled and have saved countless lives. But there is one environment where dogs have limits: underwater.
That is why Michael Hadsell, president of Florida-based Peace River K9 Search and Rescue, decided to try something very different.
He began working with an otter named Splash.
Splash is a 2-year-old Asian small-clawed otter trained to help with underwater search and recovery missions. He has become something of a star because he is believed to be the only otter in the United States successfully trained for this kind of work.
Hadsell has spent more than four decades in the search and rescue field, working with dogs, horses and drones in the U.S. and abroad. Over time, he realized that underwater recovery work needed better tools. Then he read about how otters may be able to detect odors underwater and use their whiskers while hunting.
That gave him an idea: if otters could follow scent beneath the surface, maybe they could be trained for search work.
To learn more, Hadsell visited Mote Marine and Aquarium in Sarasota, Florida, where he watched trainers work with otters. He noticed that the process was surprisingly similar to training dogs. From there, he began developing a training plan for Splash.
Otters are intelligent animals with strong senses, and Splash was trained to detect the scent of human remains underwater. His work is mainly focused on search and recovery rather than rescue, but that role is deeply important. In many cases, recovering evidence or remains from water can help bring answers and closure to grieving families.
Splash can hold his breath for about five minutes. During training in Hadsell’s pool, an object carrying the scent of human remains is hidden underwater. Splash is given the same scent on a ball attached to a stick, then receives a signal to dive and search for the target.
Otters have a unique way of smelling underwater. They blow bubbles toward an object and then quickly breathe them back in, allowing them to pick up odors beneath the surface. When Splash finds a scent target, he alerts his handlers, sometimes by grabbing at Hadsell’s diving mask until he follows.
Splash wears a custom harness while working underwater so he can stay safely connected to Hadsell. When he locates a target scent, he lies on top of the area, allowing the human team to mark the location more accurately.
And, of course, successful work earns him a reward — usually a piece of salmon.
Splash has already had real success in the field. After only a few months of training, he helped recover a weapon connected to a 25-year-old murder case. At 8 months old, he also located human DNA on a clay brick at the bottom of a lake, helping bring closure to a victim’s family. Since then, he has been called to assist in many other recovery missions.
Because his safety comes first, Splash only works in conditions that are appropriate for him. He can operate in fresh or salt water, but he does not dive deeper than 30 feet, and he does not work in dangerous currents. His team also watches carefully for threats such as alligators and other predators.
Splash’s health is also closely monitored. Otters have natural oils that protect their coats, but if he gets too dirty and needs a bath with dish soap, he must take a few days off afterward so his oils can return to normal.
Even with his special needs, Splash has become a beloved member of the Peace River K9 Search and Rescue team. He works alongside search dogs, including his canine friend Nova, and seems eager to take part in the job.
He may not be a dog, but Splash has proven he belongs on the team.