After a decade of life-saving service that cemented his legacy as one of Australia’s most extraordinary animal heroes, Bear the koala detection dog has officially hung up his working collar, leaving the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) on the hunt for a worthy successor to continue his critical conservation work. Over his 10-year career, Bear became a global icon for his unparalleled work rescuing vulnerable koalas, particularly during the devastating 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires that tore through Australia’s eastern coast. In that catastrophic event alone, his sharp nose and relentless dedication helped locate more than 100 koalas stranded in burned, damaged habitats, giving the vulnerable marsupials a second chance at survival and recovery.
Josey Sharrad, head of programs for IFAW Oceania, noted that Bear established an unmatched gold standard for koala rescue detection dogs, saying his departure leaves enormous paw prints to fill. The organization is now launching a search to find a new full-time working dog that can step into Bear’s role, continuing the mission of protecting Australia’s iconic, increasingly endangered koala population.
In a unique twist that amplifies the goodwill of the mission, IFAW is only accepting applications from rescue dogs currently waiting for permanent homes. The organization frames the model as a true win-win: it gives a shelter dog that may struggle to find a loving home a second chance at a purposeful new life, while also advancing urgent conservation work to protect koalas.
Russell Miller, Innovation for Conservation director and long-time handler of detection dogs, explained the specific traits the organization is looking for in the ideal candidate. The perfect recruit will be a high-energy dog with what IFAW describes as an “obsessive” personality — a trait that often makes these dogs harder to place in permanent pet homes, but that makes them exceptionally effective at tracking scents during search and rescue work. Additional key attributes include a natural love of play, steady confidence, and a gentle temperament around other animals, a requirement critical for working safely with stressed, injured koalas.
Size also matters for the role, IFAW’s job posting specifies: the candidate needs to be medium-sized, large enough to navigate rough, dense bushland without difficulty, but small enough that handlers can easily carry them out of difficult terrain when required.
Initial candidate assessments are being held on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast in eastern Australia, but the organization is also accepting video applications from prospective candidates across the country.
For his years of service, Bear leaves retirement with a long list of well-earned accolades, including winning Animal of the Year and Australian Dog of the Year from Puppy Tales Photos. His retirement comes as koala populations across eastern Australia continue to face ongoing threats from habitat loss, extreme weather events driven by climate change, and land development, making the work of koala detection dogs more critical than ever to conservation efforts.