SDF Canine Search Teams at the Heart
of California Mudslide Rescue Effort

SDF team Ron Weckbacher & his Border Collie, Dawson, search for survivors

In January, as the Tsunami relief efforts continued throughout the world, America turned its eyes to Ventura County, California, where mudslides ravaged the tiny coastal community of La Conchita. The Search Dog Foundation was at the heart of this rescue effort, with nine SDF teams deployed to search for survivors as layers of debris were removed from the massive mound of mud and shattered homes.

"Houses were pushed together, and the walls of mud flowed thick and deep. My dog searched relentlessly, simply refusing to give up. He performed beautifully, with great agility, skill, and enormous dedication," reported SDF Handler, Ron Weckbacher.

Sixty-one hours after the mud descended, the search ended. SDF handler Marc Valentine summed up the search in an interview on National Public Radio: "Of course we were all let down when the search was called off. But we have to be realists. We knew there had to come a time when the search went from rescue to recovery. I was so proud of my dog Val. He demonstrated his tremendous drive to succeed. He has that huge "play" drive, and we handlers have a huge "want-to-help" drive. It makes a good match."

In an interview with CNN's Paula Zahn, SDF Program Director Debra Tosch talked about the role the search dogs play at the site of a disaster. "One of the most important things we do is bring hope to surviving family members. Our job is to treat every single day like it's the first day of the search. We have hope that survivors will be found, and impart this to the families."

SDF Founder Wilma Melville is thankful to the teams who make it all happen. "Our handlers give a great deal of time to continuously train so the dogs are always at the highest skill level. They do it knowing that lives will be saved, thanks to their efforts. We are so grateful to these heroic men and women, and our amazing canines, who risked their lives responding to disasters in recent months."

The following SDF canine-handler teams searched for survivors at the scene of the La Conchita mudslide:

Carrie Henger & Doc (Chocolate Lab) - LA County Fire Department

Debra & Abby (Black Lab) - LA City Task Force

Deresa Teller & Ranger (Border Collie) - LA City Fire Department

Fernando Pelaez & Rosa (Black Lab) - Montebello Fire Department

Howard Orr & Duke (Chocolate Lab) - Santa Barbara Fire Department

John Strickland & Wally (Black Lab/Golden mix) - Anaheim Fire Department

Marc Valentine & Val (Yellow Lab) - Montebello Fire Department

Ron Weckbacher & Dawson (Border Collie) - LA City Task Force

Russell Tao & Harry (Chocolate Lab) - Montebello Fire Department.