When a group of squatters were being evicted from rural land in Grant Pass, Oregon, an observant neighbor noticed there were many stray dogs also living on the property. Concerned for the dogs’ welfare, the neighbor contacted Canine Trainer Katrina Van Der Linden of Van Der Linden K9, hoping to …
SDF volunteer Laura Rathe found Jagger at Haven Humane Society in Redding, CA in December of 2007. He had arrived the week before as a stray and was severely malnourished. Despite his health problems, Jagger was extremely ball-driven and wanted to play. Laura evaluated Jagger for our program and immediately …
Congratulations to the Canine Disaster Search Teams who recently achieved Certification in Arizona! On March 2 and 3, Canine Disaster Search Teams traveled from all over the country to take their FEMA Certification Evaluation in Phoenix, AZ. With a full roster of testing both days, a record 14 SDF-trained Search …
Kendri was found wandering the streets in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and was luckily brought to the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society—a shelter that previously found Search Dog Decker—so shelter staff knew this energetic dog could have a heroic future when they saw Kendri. A staff member recognized her very …
The staff at the Southern Oregon Humane Society (SOHS) in Medford, OR, discovered this wonderful canine while visiting Tehama County Animal Services in Red Bluff in Northern California. Dana was bouncing a tennis ball on the ground as she walked through the kennel and noticed a Lab/Shepherd mix who was …
On February 16th, SDF opened its gates for our first-ever US&R Live Find training workshop open to all U.S. canine handlers! We welcomed handlers from task forces located in California, Florida and Nebraska for two days of disaster search exercises that challenged both handler and canine equally. In the …
In late 2008, Stella, a powerful female Black Labrador Retriever, came to Sundowners Kennels in Gilroy, CA for obedience training. Her owner, Kerry Holden, needed help learning to handle this rambunctious and rowdy girl. SDF’s Search Dogs were all trained at Sundowners and this was surely the best place to …
When Kim Thompson, Adoption Coordinator at the Butte Humane Society in Chico, California, first met Spuds (a.k.a. “Potato Head”) in 2007, she saw his non-stop drive, intensity, and athleticism. She sensed that despite this young Yellow Lab’s goofy awkwardness, he might have what it takes to become a working dog, …
Cadillac was born in December of 2004 into a litter bred for Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB). Puppy raiser Michelle Bennett’s family fell in love with the black Lab, embracing his exuberant personality. “Cadillac would get up in the morning with a look in his eyes that said, ‘this …
Paul, a smart, energetic Malinois mix, comes to us as a stray from the Charleston Animal Society in South Carolina, thanks to SDF Recruiter Charlie Freeman. When Paul, originally named Carlos, got off the plane at the airport, he acted as if he and our SDF Canine Care Specialist Jami …
