Rony the hero police dog honoured for finding missing people in the Canary Islands

Meet Rony, a Springer Spaniel serving with the National Police in the Canary Islands, who has received a special honour for his remarkable work helping locate missing people and bringing answers to families during some of their most difficult moments.

The police dog, who is not yet five years old, works alongside his handler Miguel in the National Police's specialist canine unit in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Their partnership has now been recognised with an Honorary Mention for Outstanding Service, presented during the National Police Day celebrations in San Bartolomé de Tirajana on Friday (9th October).

A special partnership built on trust

Rony and Miguel have been inseparable working partners since the dog was just three and a half months old.

Miguel has spent approximately 18 years working with police dogs and understands better than most the extraordinary bond that develops between an officer and their four-legged colleague.

That relationship becomes especially important when searching for missing people in difficult and dangerous terrain, where a dog's training, determination and remarkable sense of smell can make all the difference.

Rony is specially trained in two disciplines: detecting illegal drugs and locating human remains.

But it is his work helping families find missing loved ones that has earned him his latest recognition.

Two difficult searches in Tenerife and Gran Canaria

Earlier this year, Rony played a crucial role in two separate missing-person investigations in the Canary Islands.

The first took place in the rugged countryside around Benijo, in Tenerife's Anaga Rural Park, where emergency teams were searching for a missing person.

The steep ravines and difficult terrain made the operation particularly challenging, but Rony successfully located the person's body.

A second major search followed in February near the Sima de Jinámar in Telde, Gran Canaria.

A 76-year-old man had been reported missing on 12th February, prompting an extensive search operation.

Despite the difficult conditions and the large area involved, Rony worked tirelessly alongside his handler, covering many kilometres over several hours.

The missing man's body was eventually located on 18th February.

Although neither search had the happy ending everyone had hoped for, Rony's work helped provide answers to families who had been waiting desperately for news.

Helping after the devastating Valencia floods

Rony's dedication has also taken him beyond the Canary Islands.

In October 2024, he and Miguel travelled to Valencia to assist emergency teams following the catastrophic DANA floods that devastated communities across the region.

They spent six days searching affected areas, working through mud, debris and wreckage left behind by the flooding.

The conditions were exceptionally demanding, requiring enormous concentration and stamina from both dog and handler.

Their involvement demonstrated the importance of specialist police dogs during major emergencies, particularly when conventional search methods are made difficult by damaged infrastructure and dangerous terrain.

A proud moment for Miguel and Rony

For Miguel, the award is recognition not only of Rony's abilities but also of the countless hours of training, patience and dedication that go into preparing police dogs for such important work.

He also emphasised that every search involves families anxiously waiting for information about someone they love.

Finding a missing person, even in tragic circumstances, can help bring an end to uncertainty and allow families to begin the difficult process of grieving.

And Rony is not the first of Miguel's canine companions to receive an honour.

Two previous dogs he worked with, Uca and Thais, were also recognised for their service.

Uca was particularly special, becoming a pioneer within the National Police for her specialist training in both explosives detection and the search for human remains.

A well-deserved honour for a four-legged hero

Rony received his distinction during the National Police Day ceremony in Gran Canaria, where officers and members of the public were also recognised for their contributions to policing and public safety.

The ceremony was attended by senior police representatives and government officials, including the Government Delegate in the Canary Islands, Anselmo Pestana.

For Rony, the award represents another milestone in a remarkable working life that has already made a meaningful difference to families across Spain.

And while the ceremonies, medals and official recognition are important, his greatest achievement is something much more personal: helping people find the answers they need.

A well-deserved pat on the back — and perhaps an extra treat or two — for Rony, one of the Canary Islands' very special four-legged heroes.