In February of 2006, SDF was contacted by Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) of Oceanside, CA about a canine named Hattie that they felt had Search Dog potential. CCI knew what to look for in a candidate – they had evaluated and donated Search Dogs Val and Kura in prior years – and Hattie seemed to have all the right stuff! After a formal evaluation, she was brought into the program and began formal training at Sundowners Kennels in Gilroy, CA.
Hattie was partnered with handler Marco Maldonado of California Task Force 8 in San Diego, CA. They achieved FEMA Certification in April of 2008, making them deployable to disaster zones within the United States. Hattie lived with Marco and his family, having fun outside of training by visiting Marco’s children’s schools and teaching the students about the work of a Search Dog.
When it became difficult for Marco to balance his busy Search-and-Rescue schedule and family obligations, Hattie was paired with Marco’s teammate, Montebello Police Department Sergeant Kelly Gordon, who renamed her Mattie, and became her full-time handler in June of 2011.
The team began training together daily and Mattie moved into Kelly’s home, sharing a living space with Kelly’s recently retired Search Dog Aspen, who Kelly had worked with for nine years. Aspen and Kelly had deployed to hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ernesto, so Mattie had an excellent mentor!
Kelly and Mattie achieved FEMA certification in September of 2011, just 3 months after being formally partnered! Given the amount of time it can take for a handler and canine to bond, the fast pace in which they achieved Certification is a tribute to their skills and teamwork.
The team continued to train together daily to ensure that they would be ready to deploy at a moment’s notice should the call come! At the age of 10 ½ years old, Mattie was retired on November 30, 2014.
Sadly, on June 10, 2016 Mattie was laid to rest with her handler, Kelly by her side. We thank Mattie for her dedication and service as a Search Dog!