MOUNTAIN rescue search dogs used to sniff out missing people have been rewarded with free vaccinations against Lyme disease.
The 25 pooches employed by the Lake District Mountain Rescue Search Dogs Association (LDMRSDA) were considered to be at risk because of their work in areas populated by ticks which carry the illness.
Claire Edmunds, product manager at Merial Animal Health, which provided the vaccines, said: "We are committed to the health and welfare of animals, and to supporting organisations such as LDMRSDA.
"Working in areas densely populated with ticks these rescue dogs are at increased risk of contracting Lyme disease.
Tick numbers are on the rise across the UK due to changes in climate, habitat and increased numbers of hosts.
They can live on sheep and deer, and thrive in the dense vegetation that the search dogs often work in.
Lyme disease is caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi which can be passed onto humans or dogs following a bite from an infected tick. An infected tick bite can cause serious heart, brain and kidney problems.
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