On May 28, 2021, our training team officially handed the leashes of five incredible search dog graduates to their new handlers. With COVID restrictions beginning to lift, our staff joined SDF Founder Wilma Melville in congratulating these teams on all the hard work and dedication needed to get to this moment—the beginning of a career in service to the nation.
Thanks to you and your support, we are proud to introduce you to the five newest search teams to join our national roster:
CALIFORNIA TASK FORCE 2
Nick Bartel & Cork (Los Angeles County Fire Department/California Task Force 2)
Ed Ruiz & Harper (Los Angeles County Fire Department/California Task Force 2)
Cory Baldovin & Diva (Los Angeles County Fire Department/California Task Force 2)
UTAH TASK FORCE 1
Sara Nye & Bosco (Civilian/Utah Task Force 1)
Brian Medley & Navy (Salt Lake City Fire/Utah Task Force 1)
Watch our Handler Course and Search Team Graduation Ceremony video here and see photos of teams training during the Handler Course below!
[embedyt]https://youtu.be/O08gMobNTc4[/embedyt]
Now, they join the ranks of two- and four-legged heroes across the country who are ready to search for survivors in the aftermath of a disaster. In the next year, each handler and search dog will work together every day, honing their skills, growing their incredible bond, and preparing for certification to make them deployable with their fire departments and task forces.
And we have YOU to thank for helping to make it all “paws-ible.”
Through it all, we know that, although physically apart, we are resilient and so much stronger together—a dedicated community joining forces to help animals and humans in their time of greatest need.
Thank you to the following folks for helping us form these pairings:
- Christen C. & Ben H. Garrett Family Foundation for generously sponsoring the graduation ceremony and two-week Handler Course in support of these five canine disaster search teams.
- Dogs For Better Lives in Oregon for donating Bosco.
- The Joel and Dena Gambord Family for sponsoring Search Dog Bosco, joining the additional 26 search dogs sponsored by this generous family.
- Kellee and Tim Matthews of South Dakota Canine Center for recruiting Harper from the Humane Society of the Black Hills and Cork from the Sioux Area Humane Society.
- Sean Moran for transporting Cork and Forrest safely to our campus from across the country.
- Jill Bee and Loren Glasser, and the Westlake Women’s Club for sponsoring Search Dog Cork.
- Nanci Denney Bergin and Nicole Lallande, and an anonymous donor for sponsoring Harper.
- Trevor Lawrence for recruiting Search Dog Diva and Jason Dobbins for giving Diva an incredible beginning to her career as a rescuer.
- Mary and Jeff Kroll for sponsoring Diva.
- Kirsten Fulk of Field of Dreams Kennel for recruiting Forrest.
- Farmers Insurance for sponsoring Search Dog Forrest.
