Originally named Unity, this Black Lab had been bred and raised as a companion dog for the organization Guide Dogs of America, but had too much energy and spunk for that line of work. In February of 2008, after seeing this lively dog in action, SDF volunteer Kellee Matthews called the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation (SDF) and arranged for Unity to be evaluated to see if she had the extreme drive and athleticism that would be required for Search and Rescue work.
Not long after she began her formal training at Sundowners Kennels, Unity was re-named “Salsa” when SDF’s Lead Trainer at the time, Pluis Davern, noticed that she “salsa danced” during her searches on the rubble piles. She provided non-stop entertainment while dancing her way through each successful search during the months she was being prepared from her Search Dog career at SDF’s training facility in Gilroy, CA.
On November 10, 2008, Salsa was paired with Oklahoma City firefighter Lieutenant Dane Yaw, who brought Salsa home with him to Norman, OK. Salsa quickly adjusted to being a part of Dane’s family, joining his wife Sabrina and his two daughters, as well as their pet dogs Lucky and Spitzy.
Dane and Salsa worked hard, training several times a week to hone their search skills and build their partnership. In August of 2009, they passed their State urban Search and Rescue Alliance (SUSAR) Type II Certification, a stepping-stone to becoming deployment-ready. By September of 2010, Dane and Salsa achieved advanced Certification, becoming a SUSAR Type I Certified Canine Disaster Search Team, allowing them to deploy to disasters in their region.
During their careers, Dane and Salsa deployed several times in search of missing citizens:
- May 10, 2010 – Tornado – Oklahoma City, OK
- May 24, 2011 – Tornado – Oklahoma City, OK
- May 19, 2013 – Tornado – Shawnee, OK
- May 20, 2013 – Tornado – Moore, OK
- August 8, 2014 – Missing Person Search – Oklahoma City, OK
In addition to their service to the community, Salsa and Dane represented the Search Dog Foundation in special events partnering with AT&T. The team participated in the AT&T Network Disaster Recovery Program in Philadelphia, PA in October of 2010 and again in Dallas, TX in March of 2011.
In June of 2013 Dane and Salsa were again evaluated at a Certification Evaluation in Tulsa, OK and achieved SUSAR Re-Certification, as all teams must do every three years in order to maintain their active deployment-ready status. They maintained their status with a third successful Certification attempt in Salina, KS in May of 2016.
On November 15, 2017, Salsa officially retired from her career at ten years of age. She’s now spending her golden years as a pet in the Yaw household, where she’s an incredibly loved member of the family.
We thank Dane and Salsa for dedicating their lives to the service of others and wish Salsa a long and happy retirement!