Paws For Conservation

18/09/2026

This week we carried out client-led efficiency trials across two of our sites for two of our teams. Both teams achieved an amazing 100% efficiency! 👏

We carry out regular efficiency trials throughout the year to ensure our dogs are assessed across different seasons and challenged by ever-changing terrain, vegetation and temperatures. This helps us continually monitor performance and ensure our teams are working to the highest possible standards.

We have six weeks of bat surveys left to complete before moving on to a new site over the winter, where we’ll be carrying out bird carcass searches monthly.
Amazing work from both teams this week!

27/08/2026

Well this week has been a bit of a whirlwind! These three dogs below get a special mention for their efforts!

Stig located our second live bat of this week! 🦇

Harley located just the head of a pipistrelle and…

Our retired boy Max found a pipistrelle bat's remains. Only fur and one ear were left.. pretty impressive work considering he was only out to stretch his legs before I commenced the search with Willow.

Just another reminder of how vital these dogs are for accurate data collection.

24/08/2026

Willow located another live bat today… a very, very feisty pipistrelle! 🦇

We’re so proud of the dogs and their capabilities. Their enthusiasm and efficiency are outstanding. We’re surveying seven sites this season (we managed to accommodate an additional site that came in at the last minute). Each site varies in terms of terrain and habitat, but regardless of what they’re faced with, the dogs continue to impress us, allowing us to collect valuable data.

Unfortunately, as is typical, mid-August through to mid-September tends to see increased bat activity and therefore a higher risk of turbine strikes. None of the sites we’re currently searching are curtailed, and given the numbers of bats we’re locating, we’re hopeful that some of these sites will implement curtailment next season, allowing us to return and monitor the results.

After a very long day, we enjoyed a lovely river walk this afternoon!

11/08/2026

🎉 Happy Birthday Willow! 🎉

What an incredible dog you are!

Willow is still absolutely excelling at locating bat and bird carcasses, while making huge progress with her forestry project too.

But beyond all of her incredible work, she’s just such a beautiful dog with a truly wonderful character. She has a way of leaving a lasting impression on everyone she meets.

Happy Birthday, beautiful girl! Here’s to another year of adventures, achievements and doing what you do best! 🐾❤️

Below is a very flattering picture of her…. 😂

16/07/2026

Harley located another live bat today! This is his second one🦇

This soprano pipistrelle was taken to a wildlife rescue centre and they feel confident he will make a full recovery after some R&R.

We’re so proud of our team of amazing dogs and relieved that we were there today to save this bat from an almost certain death whilst grounded in this heat.

Well done Harley for locating this vulnerable bat in challenging conditions. 🐾

14/07/2026

The summer season is well underway, we’re fully booked with Bat and Bird carcass surveys on wind farms covering 6 sites with multiple handlers and dogs. Unfortunately, we’ve had a number of bat fatalities already, but this important data will go on to prevent further collisions going forward.

In-between days we have a handler covering GCN surveys for our clients and continued training with Forest research and Forestry commission for our ips typographus project.

Thankfully as the majority of our consecutive daily work is in Scotland and it’s been raining more than it’s been sunny these past few weeks. This week was our first time working in the warmer weather and it’s still been much cooler than when we left home in North Wales! We always have multiple dogs on surveys to allow adequate rest and rotation of searching on turbines.

27/06/2026

This week is Invasive Species Week, a great opportunity to highlight the important work being done to protect our forests.

We've been working alongside Forest Research and the Forestry Commission to develop highly robust detection dogs capable of identifying Ips typographus.

The project has been a great success so far, demonstrating the incredible potential of detection dogs in supporting early detection and biosecurity efforts. Though it hasn’t come without its challenges!

We're excited to continue this journey, further developing their capabilities and helping to protect our woodlands for the future.

Exciting developments in detection technology are enhancing our capabilities to help stop the establishment of tree pest Ips typographus, commonly known as the eight-toothed spruce bark beetle.

Forest Research is developing prototype traps that could photograph beetles in real-time, potentially revolutionising early detection. Partners contributing to these efforts include CENSIS and the University of Cambridge.

Detection dogs represent another innovative approach. These specially trained dogs can identify indirect scents of Ips typographus, including beetle frass (excrement or debris left by beetles) and artificial pheromones. They're currently undergoing trials and could significantly improve spruce material movement inspections within the demarcated area (zones where controls are in place).

Drone surveillance adds another layer to our monitoring capabilities, providing highly repeatable datasets to detect changes over time and to identify trees showing symptoms that require investigation.

Read our blog from last autumn to find out more about the collaborative work being done to tackle the eight-toothed spruce bark beetle: https://forestrycommission.blog.gov.uk/2025/11/18/help-beat-the-eight-toothed-spruce-bark-beetle-through-proactive-woodland-management/

Image: Paws For Conservation

25/06/2026

🐾 June is our 6 year anniversary 🐾

It’s been a whirlwind so far, never could I have anticipated all we have accomplished over the years. A small business, comprising of just myself and Aran.

We’ve secured government contracts, successfully completed multiple proof of concepts, participated in a variety of research projects, located numerous GCN that have been safely relocated to receptor sites, accurately and efficiently cleared sites for clients and collected valuable data which has a direct impact in reducing bat fatalities on wind farms.

We’ve maintained integrity, reliability and quality. This has ensured that our services are requested by the same clients continuously, and we secure new clients year after year.

We’re already well into our 7th summer season of mortality surveys with a few GCN surveys in-between our busy schedule.

The dogs… Max, Willow, Stig, Harley and Flo. They are what make this work possible. ♥️

02/06/2026

Yesterday we arrived to a very wet Scotland. Summer surveys in full swing, week 1 of 17 has now commenced at this site.

I’m sure the dogs were happy with the wet weather in comparison to the heat, so as long as they’re happy…. I’ll continue to be happy for them and then quietly sulk because nothing seems to remain waterproof when in Scotland! 🤣

Some brilliant feather spot finds by the dogs! 🦅

29/05/2026

A very warm week completed at our wind farm in Scotland.

100% efficiency results achieved in higher temperatures, with no wind or a breeze to aid. We had to adapt our searches to ensure welfare of the dogs was maintained, this involved shorter stints for each dog (hence why there should always be a minimum of two dogs) and some working on lead where appropriate. (For the likes of Harley who doesn’t acknowledge that it is in fact… very very warm). 🤣

The dogs successfully located fresh, decayed and wings of bats in a variety of habitats.

We also had our first operational bat find of this year….. found by Max! … yes, the retired boy still getting results.

Max accompanies me to all sites, and I pop out a carcass for him to find on some turbines so he still feels like he’s working, he absolutely loves to work!
On this occasion, Max started his searching and located an operational find. Well done Max! 🎉
Next week the searches ramp up as we head into another busy summer season.