Team Info
Task Force: California Task Force 2 (CA-TF2)
Agency: Los Angeles County Fire
Level: DHS/FEMA Certified
Most Recent Certification: October 16, 2020
Search Dog Info
Breed: Black Labrador
Sex: Female
Born: January 4, 2017
Donated by: a Private Donor in Pasadena, California
Sponsor: The Joel and Dena Gambord Family and the Westlake Women’s Club-CFWC
Hopper was once a family pet in New Mexico but, sadly, she was left in their backyard most of the time with minimal interaction and engagement. When the family decided to move, they also decided they did not want to take Hopper to their new home. The family privately listed this energetic pup for sale on a website where she was purchased by a dog trainer for contraband detection and transported to San Marino, California to begin training. Before long, it was clear Hopper was destined for a job with much more intensity and purpose so her trainer, who was familiar with SDF’s mission and the type of dog needed for disaster search, reached out in hopes of finding the right career for this spirited dog. Hopper passed SDF’s evaluation with flying colors and soon entered our training program.
Throughout her training, she excelled—continuing to live up to her name as she hopped across the rubble while searching!
As Hopper trained to be a search dog, her future partner was in training to become a first-time handler. Firefighter/Paramedic Travis Calka of the Los Angeles County Fire Department has wanted to be a firefighter as long as he can remember and has been on the force for nine years. He became interested in becoming a canine handler three years before being paired with Hopper, during an orientation offered by the department about what the canine component of California Task Force 2 (CA-TF2) entailed and how it further served citizens. While it wasn’t the right time for him then, Travis kept the idea in mind and was able to revisit the opportunity when the time was right in 2018. Travis completed a thorough interview process and was selected to join the canine team.
A year later, Hopper and Travis worked together easily and naturally during their two-week Handler Course—forming a bond right away. They officially graduated SDF’s training program on September 27, 2019, and now look forward to growing together as a team.
Travis is excited to continue building a solid relationship with his new canine partner and expects great trainings that they will work through together before FEMA certification, which will allow them to deploy internationally as members of CA-TF2.