Louise Wilson

Louise Wilson is a specialist detection dog trainer, handler and consultant with over 20 years’ experience across operational, wildlife, conservation and biosecurity detection work. She is Director of Conservation K9 Consultancy, through which she provides training, mentoring and consultancy for conservation detection dog teams in the UK and internationally. Louise holds a Diploma in Higher Education in Animal Behaviour and Welfare from the University of Chester, and a City & Guilds qualification in Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector.

Louise has extensive experience training and deploying dogs for a wide range of target odours, including protected species, invasive species, wildlife products and ecological survey evidence. Her conservation work has included detection projects for great crested newts, pine marten scat, dormouse nests, bat and bird carcasses, water voles, otter signs, hedgehogs, Japanese beetle, marine mammal bone and illegal wildlife products such as ivory, pangolin scales and big cat derivatives. She has worked with organisations including the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit, HMRC, UK Border Force, Zoological Society of London, Bristol Zoological Society, San Diego Zoo, the Endangered Wildlife Trust, Wildlife Conservation Society, Vincent Wildlife Trust, the Environment Agency and several regional mammal groups.

Louise is an advocate for ethical, evidence-led use of detection dogs in ecology, conservation and research. She has contributed to peer-reviewed research on conservation detection dogs and non-invasive mammal survey methods, including studies on hedgehog survey techniques, fundamentals for successful conservation detection dog work, and great crested newt detection. She is also involved in developing UK national guidance for the use of conservation detection dogs, supporting greater standardisation, welfare, credibility and best practice across the sector.