Team Info
Task Force: Baja California Task Force 3 (BC-TF3)
Agency: Tijuana Fire
Level: Certified equivalent
Search Dog Info
Breed: Australian Shepherd
Sex: Female
Born: November 13, 2017
Recruited from Save A Stray Rescue
Recruited by Melanie Faulkner
Sponsored by Carol George
Gemma is an amazing companion and an incredible search dog, who showed tremendous potential at a young age! Her journey to becoming a rescuer partnered with Fidel Gomez of Tijuana Rescue Squad was made possible thanks to the help of dedicated volunteers and trainers—from Save a Stray Rescue in Mobile, Alabama to recruiter Rachel Leard, Sean Moran of Pilots N Paws to staff and volunteers at SDF.
Gemma’s super social demeanor and cute personality made her a delight to train and she has never met a stranger. Everyone who meets Gemma loves her and Fidel Gomez of the Tijuana Rescue Squad and Baja California Task Force 3 (BC-TF3) was no exception. Gemma could be overly excited at certain times—but throughout their introductory period, and while working with Fidel, he knew innately how to provide the right amount of support that allowed her to do her job effectively and with confidence.
The duo was officially paired on June 28, 2019, and Gemma returned home to Baja California with Fidel to meet his family.
Fidel has been a canine handler since 2003, when he was matched with an Australian Shepherd named Krissy, who looks strikingly like Gemma. As his third search dog, Gemma is in good hands to learn the ropes with her handler and will live with Fidel, his wife and three children on a ranch in Tijuana—surrounded by farm animals, including Fidel’s favorite horse, Griselda. In addition to being an active member of BC-TF3, Fidel is a lawyer and university professor in Tijuana.
The team has responded on the following missions together:
- August 5, 2019 – Missing Person Search – Tijuana, Mexico
- December 14, 2021 – Structure Collapse – Tijuana, Mexico
- August 16, 2022 – Landslide – Tijuana, Mexico
- November 8, 2022 – Flood – Tijuana, Mexico
- January 9, 2023 – Landslide – – Tijuana, Mexico
- March 3, 2023 – Landslide – Tijuana, Mexico
- March 15, 2023 – Mudslide – Tijuana, Mexico
- May 16, 2023 – Building Explosion – Tijuana, Mexico
- October 20, 2023 – Building Explosion – Tijuana, Mexico