Always the age old question of "who pays?" It is often to say that the lost people should pay. However that is the convenient and easy answer.

This question comes up frequently here on this forum and it is position of many SAR teams and associations that they don't charge for rescue.

The SAR association in my area takes that position, of which I agree with.

http://www.bcsara.com/about/faq/no-charge-for-search-and-rescue/

As for people who venture out under the guise of their own search team. Often it is not only humans they go searching for, but for other people's pets also.

A well known, local case some years ago prompted one of our premier SAR teams to initiate a search for the lost dog - if only to prevent other people from getting lost or hurt.

http://www.vancouversun.com/travel/rescu...7101/story.html