A newly appointed police dog in Saitama Prefecture located a missing woman in her 80s [1] during his first official assignment on Monday.

The successful rescue demonstrates the immediate effectiveness of specialized scent-tracking dogs in time-sensitive missing person cases. Such capabilities are critical for local law enforcement in locating vulnerable citizens quickly.

Bud of Young Fighter, a one-year-old [1] German Shepherd, was honored for his performance on June 22, 2026 [1]. The dog had been on active duty for only three days [1] when he was deployed to assist the Urawa Higashi Police Station in Saitama City.

According to reports, Bud used the scent of the missing woman's shoe to track her location [2]. The search concluded in approximately 30 minutes [1], leading to the safe discovery of the woman.

Bud works under the guidance of instructor Fumihito Hatori and his wife, Makiko Hatori [1]. The training process for these dogs involves rigorous scent identification, and endurance exercises to ensure they can operate in diverse urban and rural environments.

"Since he has only just turned one, I was happy that he was able to perform such an activity," Hatori said. "I want to continue training every day and make efforts so that we can work together with the prefectural police."

The Saitama Prefectural Police recognized the dog's contribution with a formal commendation. This marks a successful integration of Bud into the police force's search and rescue operations.

“Bud of Young Fighter located a missing woman in her 80s within 30 minutes of his first official assignment.”

The rapid success of a novice police dog highlights the high reliability of scent-based tracking for elderly missing persons, who may wander and become disoriented. By utilizing specialized breeds like German Shepherds and professional handlers, police departments can significantly reduce the window of time between a disappearance and a recovery, which is often the most critical factor in ensuring survivor outcomes.