Partnered with Eric Hanzelka
Monterey County Regional Fire District
Oakland, California Task Force 4 (CA-TF4)
Donated by: Roxanne Bohn
Prep Home: Mary Lippman
Sponsors: Diane Wolcott
Guardians: Len Hanson, Jamie Kitz
Ellie was born on August 9, 2004 and was an eager ball of energy right from the beginning. At just three and a half months, this Yellow Lab was exceeding any “normal” activity levels. Due to her energy level, it was apparent that Ellie needed to be more than a house pet.
Roxanne Bohn, Ellie’s owner, was aware of the Search Dog Foundation (SDF) and felt that this may be the avenue to pursue.
It was clear very early that Ellie was a working dog, not a pet. SDF did not have an active puppy program, but had several dedicated volunteers ready to take a puppy if there was a need. SDF volunteer Mary Lippman stepped forward and accepted Ellie into her home as a Search Dog candidate trainee. “It’s unusual for the Foundation to accept a puppy that young, but she needed to be placed in a Prep Home immediately,” said Mary, who already lived with an older Lab mix and a cat. Mary became Ellie’s Prep Home “mom” and Ellie became Mary’s constant companion through November of 2004. Mary couldn’t help but notice that Ellie was sorely in need of obedience classes and a job.
In just months, this fearless pup flourished. Ellie attended weekly training sessions in Ventura with SDF’s Canine Prep Home Trainer, Stacey Ayub, to learn basic obedience. Apart from her obedience training, Ellie would run fearlessly up 10-foot A-frames and crawl through tunnels without any hesitation. “She was eager to learn and was wonderful to work with,” Mary said.
In July of 2005, Ellie packed her bags and headed for Sundowners Kennel in Gilroy, CA to begin her formal Search Dog training. The trainers there said Ellie was amazing and her agility was incredible. Climbing ladders and walking across narrow boards was no problem for her at all. She had no fear.
Kate Davern, one of Sundowners’ trainers, recalls being a “victim” in a tree for Ellie. Once Ellie realized that Kate was in the tree, she immediately climbed it and went out onto a branch to get to her!
In May of 2006, Ellie was partnered with firefighter Eric Hanzelka of the Carmel Valley Fire Department in Monterey County. On October 14, 2007, Eric and Ellie passed the Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA), the prerequisite to FEMA/DHS certification, the first step in becoming deployment-ready.
As a testament to the dedication, commitment and hard work of this team, Eric and Ellie traveled to Florida to become Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) certified in February of 2008 – once a goal and now an achievement.
In 2010 the team was deployed on a missing person search in the Carmel Valley and Eric was pleased to see Ellie did exactly what their hours of training had taught her to do.
In March of 2011 and again in February of 2014, the pair achieved FEMA Re-Certification in order to ensure they maintain their deployment status by testing every three years. This meant that Ellie and Eric were always ready to deploy at a moment’s notice, either alongside their task force teammates or for their department.
On August 4, 2016, Eric decided to retire Ellie at the age of 13, after a successful decade-long career with California Task Force 4! Ellie spent her remaining days as a pet in the Hanzelka’s home, a beloved family member of Eric, his wife Sharon, and their other canines.
When her health began to decline in her senior years and the Hanzelka’s realized that she was nearing the Rainbow Bridge, Eric invited his former task force teammates over to say farewell to Ellie. It was an emotional time but wonderful to have the opportunity to see how Ellie touched the lives of people in different ways. She had a kind spirit and beautiful smile, and we miss her every day.
Thank you, Ellie, for your service to the nation. We are grateful for all you gave and know you gave it your all!