Buddy was originally named “Happy” and donated to SDF by the organization, Butte Sink Retrievers. Born on June 6, 1997, Buddy entered our search dog training program as a young adult and was eventually partnered with handler Kelly Gordon. A San Diego area police officer, Kelly was a member of California Task Force 8 and Buddy was her first urban disaster search and rescue canine.
Together, Kelly and Buddy achieved Type II certification and deployed on one of the nation’s most historic events in modern times following the attack on the Twin Towers in New York City on September 11, 2001. For three weeks, 13 SDF-trained teams combed the twisted steel and debris in search of possible survivors.
Buddy retired in 2002 when he entered SDF’s Lifetime Care program and was re-homed with a friend of Kelly’s since she could no longer take Buddy to work with her. This allowed Buddy to enjoy a rich family life until his passing.
Buddy’s service is honored at SDF’s Canine Memorial Wall in Santa Paula, CA.