On September 28-29, 2019, canine disaster search teams from across the United States joined veteran handlers and instructors Teresa MacPherson (Virginia Task Force 1) & Deborah Burnett (Tennessee Task Force 1) at the National Training Center (NTC) for the third in a series of four disaster search workshops in 2019. …
With friends and family cheering them on, six new Canine Disaster Search Teams joined the elite roster of urban search and rescue responders at the Search Dog Foundation’s (SDF) National Training Center on Friday, September 27, 2019. These new teams will follow in the foot and paw prints of generations …
Callie was born in November of 2004. She was one of many pups born to Meri Forman’s Juniper Ridge Labradors. Meri, Guide Dogs of America’s (GDA) Breeding Manager since 1994, had been raising Labs personally and professionally for over 20 years. Meri was aware of SDF for some time because …
Sherman came to the Search Dog Foundation (SDF) in March of 2010 with the typical story of “Black Lab Syndrome” – a term used by people who work or volunteer in animal shelters. It describes the phenomenon in which, for some reason, black dogs, even purebred black Labrador Retrievers, are …
Labs and Friends Rescue in San Diego, CA has donated several canines to SDF’s training program over the years. In June of 2010 they called SDF about Stetson—a strong, solidly built Yellow Lab who passed SDF’s evaluations with flying colors and was ready to begin training right away! After being …
On June 28, 2019, we welcomed four new SDF trained Search Teams to join our national roster. Having passed the leash to the four search dogs to their new firefighter-handlers, these teams are now taking their first steps in their careers together, dedicated to serving the nation when disaster strikes. …
In late 2005, after receiving a letter from SDF volunteer Jeff Pepper introducing SDF to Homeward Bound Rescue and Sanctuary, their staff and volunteers kept a look out for canines with Search Dog potential. Weeks earlier, a Golden Retriever that Homeward Bound named Baxter was found wandering the streets of …
Firefighter Jason Jasgur of the Los Angeles Fire Department grew up surrounded by heroes—his uncle was a firefighter/engineer with Running Springs Fire Department in San Bernardino and his dad was a volunteer with Los Angeles County Search and Rescue. Jason was determined to become a first responder himself. Watching his …
Congratulations to the Canine Disaster Search Teams who achieved SUSAR Certification at the NTC! We are excited to announce that all three New York search teams that participated in the first-ever State Urban Search and Rescue Alliance (SUSAR) canine evaluation held at the National Training Center (NTC) passed the test! …
