Karenswood (International) Ltd
A brief disclosure
Chronology;
Karenswood (international) Ltd was established in the UK in 1953; now, in 2010 its skills and experience make it ideally, if not uniquely qualified to help further improve the capability of dog training centres in many countries. Karenswood delivers a unique combination of unparalleled hands-on experience with dogs, impeccable research credentials and extensive campaign experience in areas of conflict. Karenswood (International) Ltd has also made a significant contribution in the humanitarian peacekeeping role.
2005 - Present: In 2006, Karenswood (International) Ltd established the first hydrocarbons search dog unit for the Hong Kong Fire Department.
1995 - 2005: Karenswood (International) Ltd produced Europe's first Hydrocarbons Search Dog (fire investigation). In 1995, Karenswood persuaded the British Fire Service of the efficacy of specialist trained dogs and the Company originated the Home Office Standards of Accreditation. It is entirely due to the focussed efforts of Karenswood (International) Ltd that hydrocarbons search dogs are now properly constituted and properly regulated within the fire services of Great Britain and Europe.
1985 - 1995; By 1985 the Company had become a recognised institution to which governments and world organisations turned for advice, supply, support and training. By the mid-nineties Karenswood (International) Ltd was servicing the respective needs of twenty six countries.
In 1992: Alan Sims - Chairman and Brigadier H.W Bishop MRCVS (late RAVC) - Project Director, Karenswood (International) Ltd conducted mines surveys across Cambodia. The resulting field study produced by Karenswood (International) Ltd was accepted by the United Nations as the format for all succeeding mines seurveys.
Karenswood (International) Ltd deployed its own mines search dog teams in countries around the world. The Company originated the document which was adopted as the basis for the United Nations Mines Action Standards (IMAS) 09-00 series, governing the training, use and application of land mines detector dogs and their accreditation standards.
1990 - The First Gulf War. Heads of Governments & Allied Commanders recognised that priority status had to be given to the protection of the vast Saudi Arabian Oil Fields. It was believed that although any strike launched by the Iraq Air Force would not succeed in penetrating the Allied air shield, a strike by Iraqi Commando's using high explosives might possibly preavail. As part of the overall security programme Karenswood (International) Ltd sent operationally trained explosives search dogs to Saudi Arabia. The dogs were accompanied by training instructors from Karenswood (Interational) Ltd, who conducted familiarisation training and supervised explosives search teams at vital installations in the oil fields through-out the duration of the war . This Karenswood-led operation was so successful that a permanent unit (perhaps the largest of its kind in the world), has now been established.
1975 - 1985: Karenswood (International) Ltd continued to broaden its horizons and by 1985 it was operating extensively in the Middle East, Asia and the Far East - often performing operational duties with the very same military dog units and police dog units that it had established.
Important research and development projects were successfully completed, notably the Cable Oil Leak Locator Dog Project for the British Electricity Council in 1982. Dogs were trained to locate leaks in buried high voltage electricty cables. This project was a follow up to earlier work done by the Company on Hydrocarbons Detector Dogs in 1964.
1965 - 1975: The Company had consolidated its position as the world leader in the commercial field for the provision of trained security dogs, and it continued to develop the range of specialist services it offered to Governments and Government Agencies. In 1970 Karenswood added the International affix to its trading title. Having successfully secured its home market, the European and Scandinavian Markets, the Company expanded into Africa. This decade, like the previous one, was a period of intense activity with major research projects being undertaken for several international organisations.
Karenswood (International) Ltd continues to receive enquiries from world-wide organisations and from governments seeking technical information on a variety of subjects relating to the use of specialist trained dogs.
Feasibility trials conducted by Karenswood (International) Ltd include the training dogs for the following purposes;-
* Natural Gas Leak Locators
* Specific Mineral Detectors
* Tobacco and Alcohol Detectors
* The use of dogs to detect water beneath the Sahara Desert.
1953 - 1965: Following research trials conducted by Karenswood (International) Ltd in 1964, the Company produced the worlds first ever Hydrocarbons Search Dog - fire investigation.
Karenswood (International) Ltd was awarded training commissions from every mainland European and Scandinavian country, with the Company quickly establsihing its reputation for efficiency and the highest standards of professional excellence.
The early 1960's: A period of intense activity when Karenswood (International) Ltd received many requestes for technical advice and assistance from police and military establishments around the world and notably from the British Army War Dog Training School - now the Defence Animal Centre, and also from the British Royal Air Force.
Karenswood (International) Ltd conducted its own research programmes under the direction of its Chairman Alan Sims. All training methods employed by Karenswood (International) Ltd were evolved by the Company without reference to the techniques of others. The Company's methods soon became almost universally adopted by the Police, Customs and Defence Forces of much of the Western World as well as in Africa, the Middle East and the Far East.