Deacon was donated to SDF and arrived at our National Training Center in Santa Paula, California on December 26, 2016. What a present Deacon turned out to be! The young Black Labrador was as much a natural at disaster search work as we have ever seen!
Within a few weeks of working with him SDF trainers reported, “Deacon is a crack up! He works with SUCH enthusiasm! He is very, very quick and intense, and barks so. He is going to be a rock star search dog.”
Deacon approached each stage of training with the same energy, intelligence, and athleticism, and on September 1, 2017, Deacon was partnered with Captain Mike Toepfer of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. As members of California Task Force 2 (CA-TF2), this team was eligible to deploy within the U.S. and internationally when disasters struck.
Deacon and Mike focused on training together to achieve Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Certification, which they accomplished in Riverside, CA on March 4, 2018, and again on October 3, 2021, and November 8, 2024. Maintaining high training standards ensured that Deacon and Mike were prepared to deploy on a global level as needed.
Throughout their careers the team deployed on the following missions:
- March 20, 2018 – Mudslide Pre-staging – Santa Barbara, CA
- February 6, 2023 – Earthquake – Türkiye
- October 7, 2024 – Hurricane Milton – Florida
- October 30, 2025 – Hurricane Melissa – Jamaica
Days after his 11th birthday, Deacon became lethargic and was rushed to an emergency vet. A tumor was discovered on his spleen and immediate surgery was performed to try and stop an internal bleed but, tragically and despite the veterinarian’s best efforts, Deacon did not survive. He crossed the Rainbow Bridge on October 20, 2026.
Deacon was deeply loved by the Toepfer family and will be missed by all who knew him. He was a sweet boy with an incredible work ethic and has left big paws to fill. Deacon’s life and service will be honored at SDF’s Canine Memorial Wall.