Miller-McCune | The canine-handler teams produced by SDF are the gold standard in their field.
Category: News
Rescued dog now an award-winning rescue dog
Ventura County Star
In Haiti, Pearl ventured deep inside collapsed buildings, into gaps in the rubble too small for her 6-foot-6 handler, to sniff out survivors of that country’s devastating earthquake.
Search Dog efforts on 9/11 are recounted
Ventura County Star
If tears shed during the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation’s salute Saturday to those who died and those who searched the piles of rubble that once were the World Trade Center could count as dollars, the Ojai-based nonprofit would have no problem raising the $10.6 million needed to build a national training facility for search dogs and handlers.
Search Dog Teams set sights on new national training facility
Noozhawk
Local teams called in after a gravel truck crashed into a Santa Barbara home recently will attend Saturday’s groundbreaking ceremony.
Tinker (2000 – 2010)
On October 20, 2000 a black and white bundle of furry energy was born that would later become a part of SDF’s first international team from the Mexican State of Baja California, based in Tijuana. Tinker—as this intelligent, energetic Border Collie came to be known—came to SDF through Border Collie …
Billy (1996 – 2010)
The black Lab named Billy began his career with the Search Dog Foundation (SDF) staying with SDF Founder Wilma Melville and her late husband John at their home in Ojai, CA. Wilma evaluated his toy-drive and soon found she had nothing to worry about: “Billy was outside the wrought-iron fence …
Portraits of help
Westlake Malibu Lifestyle | Search Dog Foundation teams look for survivors of disasters around the world.
Dogged determination to save people’s lives
The San Diego Union-Tribune
Stella’s pink tongue hangs out of her mouth, her tail wags furiously, her demeanor is as friendly as any other black Labrador retriever, but the life of this obedient 3-year-old ball of energy is decidedly more complex than most other canines.
Icon (2004 – 2010)
Icon was born and raised in Rochester, New York, where he started training at eight weeks of age to become a guide dog for the blind. His early training included basic obedience, socialization and exposure to situations like airline travel, getting on and off of buses, negotiating city traffic, and …