Meet Sgiath: The mountain rescue Labrador who has won IFAW’s 2026 Animal of the Year Award

Photo credit: The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) A six-year-old black Labrador from the Scottish Highlands in the UK has found an unusual new role in conservation. Sgiath, who was originally trained as a mountain rescue search dog, can now detect an invasive marine organism known as “sea vomit” by smell. Her work has earned her the 2026 Animal of the Year Award from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). According to IFAW’s announcement, Sgiath is believed to be the first dog in the world trained to detect ‘Didemnum vexillum,’ commonly called carpet sea squirt or “sea vomit”. She works alongside her handler, marine ecologist Dr Texa Sim, to help locate the organism in UK waters.Sgiath received the award at IFAW’s annual Animal Action Awards ceremony, held at BAFTA in London on October 15. The event recognised six people and one animal for their contributions to conservation and animal welfare.What is ‘sea vomit’ and why is it a concern?Despite its nickname, sea vomit is not vomit. It is an invasive marine organism that can grow in thick, slimy colonies on seaweed, pontoons, oyster cages and other marine structures. According to IFAW, the species can spread ...