SARA RFI - Ecological Assessment Report

Koala survey report – Serenity Close, Noosa Heads
Prepared for Litoria Consulting


When OWAD’s detection dogs find a target object, they lie down with their nose on the object and
hold the indication until the handler gives them a ‘bridging cue’. If the handler needs further
assistance from the dog to locate a target object, the handler may ask the dog to ‘show me’. The
video below is an example of how the dogs are handled on OWAD projects, and how the handlers
& the canines communicate with one another.

                         Video: click on image to play (internet connection required)




2.3          FIELD QUALITY ASSURANCE

2.3.1        Field Quality Assurance procedures

In all studies undertaken by OWAD for all species targeted by the detection canines, field quality
assurance (FQA) procedures are undertaken to ensure that the findings are representative of the
true site conditions and are therefore valid for interpretation. OWAD’s FQA procedures include
the use of experienced ecology expert staff certified by the EIANZ as Certified Environmental
Practitioners (including CEnvP certification as professional field detection dog handlers), the use
purpose-bred professional field detection dogs raised and trained by a CCPDT2 expert,
certification of compliance obtained by the CCPDT trainer for each dog and each handler for each
target species, extensive field trials conducted over several consecutive full days for each new
dog and/or each new target prior to the canine being deployed for project work on said target, the
use of appropriate study designs and protocols, and the implementation of daily field quality
control (FQC) searches on all applied studies.

FQC searches are performed each day in the field on all applied projects performed by OWAD.
Either the detection dog finds a naturally occurring target within the first few minutes or hours of
working each day, in which case there is no need for a third party to deposit a target sample for
FQC purposes. Or, if no naturally occurring target is found within the first few minutes or hours



      2
          Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers


OWAD Environment                                                                             Page 4