Search Teams

Our Search Teams

Baja California Task Force 3 (BC-TF3)

California Regional Task Force 7 (CA-RTF7) Ventura County

California Task Force 1 (CA-TF1) Los Angeles City

California Task Force 2 (CA-TF2) Los Angeles County

California Task Force 3 (CA-TF3) Bay Area

California Task Force 4 (CA-TF4) Oakland

California Task Force 5 (CA-TF5) Orange County

California Task Force 7 (CA-TF7) Sacramento

California Task Force 8 (CA-TF8) San Diego

Nebraska Task Force 1 (NE-TF1)

New York Task Force 2 (NY-TF2)

Oklahoma Task Force 1 (OK-TF1)

Utah Task Force 1 (UT-TF1)

Virginia Task Force 1 (VA-TF1)

Virginia Task Force 2 (VA-TF2)

Molly & Steve MacDonald

Molly & Steve MacDonald

Team Info

 

Task Force: Nebraska Task Force 1 (NE-TF1)
Agency: Civilian

Level: Certified

 

Search Dog Info

 

Breed: Yellow Labrador
Sex: Female
Born: December 23, 2017
Recruited from Murray Animal Shelter in Murray, UT
Recruited by Trevor Lawrence
Sponsor: Tracy & Rascal

 

 

Found as a stray wandering the streets of Salt Lake City, Molly caught the eye of shelter staff when they noticed her strong desire to play with her prized ball! Luckily, as soon as shelter staff recognized her high toy drive, they knew she would enjoy a job in search and rescue and contacted SDF recruiter Trevor Lawrence to evaluate the yellow Lab. During her evaluation, Molly exhibited good hunting skills and great footing on the rubble. She was accepted by SDF trainers as a search dog candidate upon her arrival in California!

 

Molly trained extensively for months to be ready for pairing with her new handler, Steve MacDonald. Steve was paired with Search Dog Lilly in 2010, but after nine years of working together, Lilly began to slow down a bit on the rubble. Steve knew it was time to consider Lilly’s retirement and the possibility of a new canine partner.

 

The moment Steve saw Molly in one of SDF’s photos, he knew he wanted to work with her! His first impression was that she was smart, intense, quick, and focused, and he learned throughout the SDF Handler Training Program that his instincts were spot-on. Steve and Molly were officially paired during SDF’s pairing ceremony on September 27, 2019, beginning their partnership as members of Nebraska Task Force 1.

 

With a search dog already at home in Nebraska, Molly hasn’t changed much of Steve’s lifestyle—but she slowly integrated into his routine and became part of his family. Steve knew Molly already had the skills and training to succeed as a search dog and worked extensively with her to create a strong bond.

 

After lengthy delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Steve and Molly secured a spot to test their skills at the federal level and ensure they met standards to deploy with the task force when disasters strike. The team achieved certification with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in November 2020.

 

In her first year as a certified search dog, Molly deployed three times:

 

  • May 20, 2021 – Missing Person Search – Papillion, NE
  • August 5, 2021 – Missing Person Search – Omaha, NE
  • August 27, 2021 – Hurricane Ida – New Orleans, LA

 

Molly and Steve traveled to Puyallup, WA, in July of 2023 and achieved FEMA re-certification. Teams must be evaluated every three years to prove their skills are up to par.

 

We are proud of the relationship Steve and Molly have developed and how they have successfully served their local communities and the nation so far. We cannot wait to see what comes next!