Vader, a stocky Black Lab, was originally living at the Rescue Ranch in Yreka, CA. The staff there knew he needed a job but were not quite sure how to get him “hired.”
When the Rescue Ranch called SDF, then-Canine Recruitment Manager, Darrell Wilkerson, immediately put them in touch with regional SDF Canine Recruiter Kirsten Fulk, from Field of Dreams Kennel in Sweet Home, OR. Kirsten had already been on the road, transporting Search Dog candidates Minnie and Fritz to SDF’s National Training Center for their evaluation. So Kirsten stopped at Rescue Ranch on her way back home to Oregon and she LOVED what she saw in Vader!
When Kirsten returned to her kennel, she ran Vader on the rubble pile and after a full evaluation, she determined that the staff at Rescue Ranch was exactly right – he definitely needed a job and he was darn good at searching!
Though she had just returned from transporting Minnie and Fritz, Kirsten packed up again and returned to the National Training Center with new candidates Vader and his traveling companion, Buck. After SDF Lead Trainer Sonja Heritage evaluated the two dogs in a formal evaluation, she accepted them both into Search Dog training on the spot.
Vader did very well in each stage of his Search Dog training and was partnered with firefighter-handler Eli Thomas of California Task Force 3 (CA-TF3) in September of 2015. The team worked hard and first achieved Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Certification on March 6, 2016, which enabled them to deploy with CA-TF3 when disasters occurred.
In September 2017, Eli and Vader were sent on their first mission following Hurricane Irma, which hit Florida and the Virgin Islands, causing devastating and widespread damage. Eli and Vader were one of sixteen SDF-trained canine search teams to respond to reunite missing people with their loved ones. They spent nearly two weeks on the East Coast assisting citizens there.
One year later, in September 2018, Eli and Vader were deployed ahead of Hurricane Olivia and sent to Hawaii where they were able to stage, ready to assist with any searches should the need arise. Thankfully, the hurricane mostly stayed out to sea and the people of Hawaii were safe.
The team achieved FEMA Re-certification in Seattle, WA in April of 2019 and looked phenomenal out at the testing site. Eli and Vader relaxed into their role of veteran search team quite well and continued to enjoy weekly training with their CA-TF3 teammates in the Bay Area.
Sadly, in 2021, Vader’s veterinarian diagnosed him with cancer and discovered a tumor wrapped around an artery in one of his legs. The immediate decision was made to save Vader’s life by amputating the leg, and Vader was retired from the task force on October 28.
Vader did well post-surgery, learning to walk again on three legs and enjoying his time with the Thomas children in his new role as a pet in the family’s home. They were able to love on Vader for several more months, giving him Pupachinos and his other favorite snacks, until it was discovered that the cancer had returned and his quality of life had diminished. Eli helped his friend and partner peacefully cross the Rainbow Bridge on February 6, 2022.
We are grateful to our friend Vader for his service to his community and the nation. He will be honored at SDF’s Canine Memorial Wall so that we can continue to thank him for many years to come.
