Working on the frontline of the New Zealand Police can lead to life or death situations. No one knows that more than specialist search police dog Teo and his dedicated handler, Constable Adam Johannsen. Kelly Makiha catches up with the dynamic duo after their traumatic year.

It all happened so quickly.

One minute, Constable Adam Johannsen and his police dog Teo were on a search near Rotorua. The next, Teo slipped into scalding geothermal waters.

The German shepherd specialist search dog suffered life-threatening burns.

Her devoted handler of seven years said if she hadn’t had made it, his days in the police would be over too.

Such is the connection.

Search and Rescue dog Teo and her handler, Senior Constable Adam. Photo / NZ Police

“If I lost her, I personally felt a lot of guilt, you know, regardless of what everyone says.”

The reality was, Johannsen saved Teo’s life.

The pair were deployed on October 8 to help Rotorua police’s mission in the search for missing Tokoroa teacher Jayleb-Che Dean.

Tokoroa teacher Jayleb-Che Dean, 36, vanished.

Dean, 36, went missing from a geothermal swimming spot on Waiotapu Loop Rd, south of Rotorua, on September 30.

Police used extensive ground and aerial crews to look for Dean, but to this day, nothing has been found.

Police have ruled out foul play in Dean’s disappearance. The official search has been suspended.

Johannsen and Teo were part of the specialist search squads.

They were aware of geothermal activity. For added protection, Johannsen made the potentially life-saving decision to put protective boots on Teo.

Teo had a seven-year career as a specialist search dog.

While Johannsen had Teo on a long lead, what he didn’t encounter was Teo running across unstable ground.

He recalled the horror of watching his work companion slip down into hot water, estimated to be about 85C, as the ground beneath her gave way.

“I moved in and grabbed her ... the poor thing was so panicked the first thing she did was grip on by my neck.”

Johannsen then fell in the water as well.

“It didn’t feel too hot at first, whether it was adrenaline or the protective pants I was wearing, then all of a sudden it hit and I thought ‘this is really bloody hot’.”

In the struggle, Teo also gripped on to Johannsen’s hand, creating puncture wounds.

At one point, he had Teo in a bear hug and rolled them both out.

Eventually, they became free of the scalding waters. Other police staff nearby lifted Teo by her protective harness and placed her in cooler waters nearby.

But it wasn’t looking good. They needed to get help for Teo fast but they were in dense bush about 200m from any exit point.

Depsite Johannsen’s own leg burns and hand injuries, he flung Teo over his shoulder and carried her out.

Teo suffered serious burns, particularly across her hindquarters. They rushed her to Central City Vets in Rotorua where veterinarian Dr Russell Cowie and his team provided initial burn management.

Constable Adam Johannsen and Police Commissioner Richard Chambers visit police dog Teo, who is recovering from injuries after falling into geothermal water. Photo / NZ Police

A decision was made to airlift Teo immediately to the Massey University Campus in Palmerston North, where national police dog co-ordinating veterinarian Dr Vicki Erceg took over her specialist care.

Teo was only two months out from retiring following a more than seven-year career in the police.

Although she is now on the road to a full recovery, she spent three weeks at the vets before being allowed home – Johannsen stayed by her side late at night and early in the morning during those crucial early days.

Teo still has visible scars around her legs and her fur hasn’t fully grown back yet.

Johannsen described her as “quite a spectacular police dog” that had a “remarkable” career.

But Teo is now the Johannsen family pet and quite happily lies in the lounge of their home in retirement mode.

Johannsen, who has been a police officer for 13 years and a dog handler for eight years, is based in Auckland.

He said Dean’s Tokoroa-based family sent messages of support and thanks.

“They are such a lovely family and they were hurting too.”

He said he was sorry they weren’t able to help them find Dean.

“When you call a policeman for help, you do whatever you can to relieve the family of what they’re going through.”

Expert help

Erceg said it was a privilege to be able to help care for Teo.

“The dedicated care from all of the veterinary teams involved certainly helped to save her life.”

Constable Adam Johannsen and Teo with the Massey Vet Team.

“From the very first time I saw Teo I could see her strength of character. She is always a strong, determined and loyal lass.”

She said her loyalty to Johannsen was well placed.

“The protective boots that Adam had diligently placed that day certainly saved her paws which was very significant for her healing. Also him pulling her out of the water and getting her to veterinary care quickly certainly helped save her.”

Erceg said Teo’s burns were extensive and severe.

“She was extremely brave for all of her many treatments and procedures, and she was so trusting which was lovely.”

Erceg said they became very attached to her during her long say.

“Adam was there caring for her with us too. It was all an incredible team effort.”

New dog teams for Rotorua

Meanwhile, Rotorua’s police dog section is to get some new faces.

A graduation ceremony was held at the Dog Training Centre in Trentham in December, and among those graduating were two new staff for Rotorua.

Senior Constable Stu Palmer and his third operational dog called Ridge are heading back to the Bay of Plenty police district to Rotorua.

Palmer’s been policing for 14 years and has worked in both Taupō and Rotorua in public safety and road policing roles.

Another team bound for Rotorua is Senior Constable Chrissy Lunt and detector dog Vegas.

Lunt’s career spans an impressive 30 years with 15 of them as a qualified detective.

Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.