As an accomplished escape artist, Elvis was notorious in his previous family’s neighborhood. After a neighbor threatened to shoot the wandering Chocolate Lab, Elvis’ family decided they had to give him up.
Elvis arrived at Santa Barbara Animal Care and Control in Santa Maria, CA in April of 2008 and quickly impressed the shelter staff with his boundless energy and ball obsession. The vigilant shelter staff immediately called SDF Canine Recruiter Heidi Miller, who tested Elvis and introduced him to SDF.
Elvis spent 6 months in formal training at Sundowners Kennel in Gilroy, CA before being paired with Oklahoma City firefighter Chet Clark. Elvis continues to be an escape artist, but a well-trained one! Chet and his wife Darla care for Elvis at their home in Meeker, OK. His new family includes Boomer the Beagle and Pearl, a cockatiel.
Chet and Elvis achieved the major milestone of State Urban Search and Rescue Alliance (SUSAR) Type II Certification in September of 2010, making them ready to deploy throughout the state of Oklahoma and the surrounding region with Oklahoma Task Force 1.
In May of 2013 the team deployed with Oklahoma Task Force I to the devastating tornado damage in Moore, OK. The task force searched tirelessly for three days until the governor determined that all citizens had been accounted for.
In June of 2013 the team achieved SUSAR Re-Certification in Tulsa, OK, alongside many of their teammates. Teams must get re-tested every three years in order to maintain deployment-ready status. We are very proud of Elvis and Chet for their accomplishments and as their careers blossom, will stand by them as proud as ever.