Joey and Amber Garza had bought “Little Anne” for bird-hunting and as a family pet, but this fireball soon became too energetic for their lifestyle. When Joey’s work schedule changed, they decided she needed a new home.
Joey found SDF online and called the office to talk to then-Canine Manager Karen Klingberg about placing Little Anne. Karen immediately called some of the handlers in Sacramento, asking if they might go to the Garza’s home to see if their Yellow Lab would be an appropriate candidate for the program. SDF handler Jeff Ivy volunteered, and so off he and his Search Dog Jakers went to test Little Anne.
“I tested Little Anne too, and she was a wild monster. She was mad for toy – she was a retrieving fool!” exclaimed Karen. “She was a purebred Lab from a breeder and though she was overweight, she wanted that toy. She was still incredibly energetic, athletic, and agile.”
Jeff left that very day with Anne and drove her to Sundowners Kennel in Gilroy, CA, where she could start her training as a Search Dog. “In the crate,” Karen says, “she tore apart the harness she was wearing, and later shredded her AKC Registration paperwork. I knew she would be a Search Dog.”
At nine months old Little Anne was not so little anymore, so trainers Pluis Davern, Kate Davern, and Sharon Hanzelka began calling her “Annie.”
Annie learned obedience and disaster search skills at Sundowners, and acquired the confidence and trust essential to bonding with her future handler. She finally had the daily exercise and attention she craved, and loved her new work.
One month before Annie began her training at Sundowners, Sacramento firefighter Shani Cornell had been paired with her first SDF canine partner, Woody. Unfortunately, Woody began to lose focus and was eventually placed into SDF’s Lifetime Care program, which ensures that dogs released from Search Dog training will go to loving homes and not back into the shelter system. Shani went back to Sacramento without a dog and continued to train with her fellow Handlers while waiting for her new canine partner.
“We knew Shani pretty well, and as we got to know Annie better, we thought they might be a good match,” says trainer Kate Davern, who called Shani and asked her to come to Sundowners and observe Annie. “You could tell right away that the pair would work,” said trainer Sharon Hanzelka, “Their personalities were such a good match. They really complemented each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”
Shani and Annie passed the Foundation Skills Assessment in October of 2009 and two months later, they achieved FEMA Certification, which enabled them to deploy anywhere in the United States as members of California Task Force 7 (CA-TF7), based in Sacramento, should the call come.
They continued to train regularly with their Sacramento teammates to keep their skills sharp and, in accordance with FEMA regulations, the team Re-Certified in Phoenix, AZ in January of 2013. The team was put on standby to deploy once in the winter of 2010, but they were never needed in a crisis situation. This is good news for citizens! Sometimes it can seem like a shame for canine teams to work so hard for so long, and never be forced to put their skills to use. But it’s important to remember that when a search team is sent out, that means a family may be experiencing the worst day of their lives.
We are proud that Shani and Annie, along with their CA-TF7 teammates, were always ready to help others. That’s what the job is all about! When Annie’s last FEMA Certification expired on January 31, 2016, Annie officially retired from CA-TF7 and the Sacramento Fire Department. She enjoyed her retirement days as a pet and beloved member of the Cornell household for more than five years. We were told Annie loved family vacations and never lost her adventurous spirit!
Annie peacefully crossed the Rainbow Bridge on June 27, 2021. In a beautiful tribute, Shani shared, “Sunday was a very tough day for me. I had to say goodbye to my best friend, my work buddy, my hero, my search dog, my pet. It was time for her to cross the rainbow bridge. She had a great run. Many search and rescue dogs don’t make it to 15 1/2. She had an amazing life with World class training, traveling all over the country, multiple airplane and helicopter rides, her own commercial, hanging out at the fire station every day that I worked and always the center of attention. She went everywhere with me. But It was time. It was my responsibility as a dog owner to choose for her not to suffer and go with some dignity left. She changed my life. She made it better. She taught me many things… I will miss you, Annie. Thanks for everything. Now go be free and keep running.”
We are grateful to Shani and Annie for their years of dedication to the canine program and service to the nation.