Chloe had been with a family since she was a puppy, but as she grew, she became “too much dog” for them to handle. They surrendered her to a local shelter in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and from there, Chloe was re-homed with a person with disabilities, where it quickly became apparent that it was not a good fit due to her intense energy. Chloe was surrendered for a second time to the shelter where she waited again to find her place in the world. SDF recruiters with the South Dakota Canine Center immediately noticed this chocolate Labrador Retriever’s insatiable desire as they bounced a tennis ball while walking past her kennel run. She passed SDF’s evaluation and excelled in her search dog training after arriving at our National Training Center.
Kiegon List of Sacramento Metro Fire Department and California Task Force 7 has been a first-responder-in-training since the age of 16—working as an EMT, paramedic, and safety officer since he was first able to be employed. He has wanted to be a firefighter throughout his career, finding it a dynamic and exciting job with immense satisfaction in serving his community. He has done just that and has also had an eye for being a search dog handler since 2015.
When the announcement came that his task force was looking for additional canine handlers, Kiegon was ready and eager to apply for his own dog, attending many task force training sessions since the opportunity arose in 2019.
Throughout the Handler Training Program at SDF, Kiegon was always taken by candidate in-training Chloe, with her intense stare and sweet demeanor. Chloe was fast, fearless, and dedicated, and Kiegon was a wonderful match for her intellect. The two searched well together and made a great team!
They first achieved FEMA certification in April 2021 and again in January 2024, as is required every three years.
Unfortunately, Chloe’s career was cut short when she was medically retired in 2025, but Chloe will spend her remaining years as a pet in the List family home. She will no longer be able to search on rubble but Chloe remains a sweet, affectionate and playful canine companion.