A year ago, India was sitting in a Florida shelter awaiting adoption when Amy Couts, an experienced canine handler and trainer, agreed to foster the young Belgian Malinois. Amy is the founder of 421 K9 Search and Rescue, Inc., a nonprofit where she volunteers for search and rescue operations with her live-find partner, Tango, and human remains detection partner, Fawkes.
Amy agreed to foster India, expecting that she would be placed with an agency. Despite India’s working potential, no agency expressed a need for a working canine at that time, so Amy decided to begin India’s training herself in Electronic Storage Detection (ESD).
Described in an article in Police Magazine, ESD K9s are “specially trained dogs that can detect electronic storage devices such as hard drives, USB drives, and SD cards. They use their keen sense of smell to locate these devices, which can be hidden in various environments, including homes, offices, and even underwater.”
Amy and India achieved ESD certification through the United States Police Canine Association in March 2025, allowing the twosome to help in the fight against human trafficking and child pornography, as well as other criminal activities.
However, India’s transition to her professional career was complicated by a difficult health challenge. She was diagnosed with severe food and environmental sensitivities that left her in constant discomfort. After exhaustive testing and various natural trials, Amy and her veterinarian determined that bi-monthly Cytopoint injections were the only effective way to provide India with the relief she needed.
Cytopoint works by neutralizing the protein that triggers allergic reactions in dogs. While a single injection is effective for 4 to 8 weeks, it is not inexpensive, especially for a medication India will likely need throughout her lifetime.
As a function of our Canine Healthcare Grant, SDF provides comprehensive care for all dogs recruited into our forever family, but we also provide grants to handlers of non-SDF dogs to support more search dogs in need of our assistance. This year, thanks to SDF’s Canine Healthcare Grant, Amy was able to offset some of the costs of India’s medication.
“India absolutely loves her job,” Amy shared. “I am so thankful she isn’t constantly scratching anymore. We truly appreciate the help in covering her expenses.”
By easing the financial burden of these essential treatments, we ensure that India can stay focused on the vital work she was born to do. This specialized care is made possible thanks to our generous donors, whose support ensures that dedicated partners like India can serve their communities in comfort and peak health.