Merlin had been discovered in Northern California in late 2014, wandering the streets near the Oakland Coliseum. He was picked up as a stray and taken to the Oakland Animal Services shelter. No one ever came to claim him and he was not doing well at the shelter. He failed behavioral tests there, and was about to be earmarked as “unsalvageable,” and then likely euthanized, when a kind volunteer began investing time in him and was able to socialize him enough that the shelter contacted Golden Gate Labrador Retriever Rescue (GGLRR) in San Francisco to see if they would adopt him and try to find him a permanent home.
SDF has worked with GGLRR for a few years now, and we have gratefully transitioned several once homeless dogs into Urban Disaster Search Dogs stationed in different states. GGLRR is fortunate to have many dedicated volunteers, and Merlin was fostered by two different people who not only opened their homes to Merlin but also put many hours into rehabilitating his nervous and reactive nature. A trainer working with Merlin noticed his insatiable ball drive and GGLRR reached out to SDF staff about his Search Dog potential.
Agreeing that Merlin looked very promising, our two groups arranged to have him transported down to SDF’s National Training Center in March of 2015, where he received more TLC and medical care before beginning formal Search Dog training. SDF’s Head Trainer at the time, Sonja Heritage, said upon his arrival, “He’s terribly skinny, has e collar marks ALL over his neck…but Wow. He is going to be a rags to riches story for sure!!!”
And was he ever! Throughout the training process, Merlin truly blossomed. He loved to work, play and interact with others.
On May 27, 2016, Merlin graduated from SDF’s program when he was paired with firefighter and Hazardous Materials Technician Frankie Grant of Unified Fire Authority. The new team were members of Utah Task Force 1 and achieved certification with the Federal Emergency Management Agency on January 22, 2017.
Due to internal departmental reasons, Frankie left the task force, so Merlin retired on June 1, 2019. No longer an active duty search dog, Merlin enjoyed an active lifestyle with Frankie, hiking and swimming on a regular basis. They were constant companions for several years until he peacefully crossed the Rainbow Bridge on February 5, 2025.
Merlin’s life will be honored at SDF’s Canine Memorial Wall in Santa Paula, CA. He was a sweet boy and will be missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.