Did you know that besides providing resources and support to our SDF-trained teams, SDF also offers grants to other working dog organizations across the country through its Search Team Fund? These grants go towards training-related travel and equipment and veterinary care expenses so that more organizations can train and deploy highly skilled working dogs. From October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024, SDF funded grants for 185 canine teams from 58 organizations, totaling more than $150,000 in support to our nation’s working dogs.
One of the organizations that utilized this support was the Florida non-profit Legacy K9, which used their grant to bring a specialized instructor to their home site to train five human remains detection wilderness handlers in water-based search skills.
The training covered a variety of scenarios, including shoreline problems, creek beds, flooded wooded areas, and deep river environments. It provided in-depth insights into how dogs operate in water, emphasizing the impact of currents and water temperatures on odor detection. This comprehensive training significantly enhanced the team’s capabilities and preparedness for water-based search and rescue operations, skills critical to teams operating in Florida’s unique ecosystem.
SDF is proud to offer our Search Team Fund as a resource for organizations nationwide to foster a stronger, more capable network of canine teams and enhance their ability to assist the communities they serve.
See our fiscal year impact report here and learn more about the Search Team Fund!
We would like to especially thank the individuals, foundations, and organizations who support our Search Team Fund Grants, including: Allen Hohnroth and Renee Berlin, David and Barbara Barnhart, Cencora Impact Foundation, Farmers Insurance® and The Mauck Family, In Loving Memory of Scott Mauck.