Sweet, lovable Lilly landed herself in shelters more times than we could count. This yellow Lab was adopted and returned numerous times until Ellen Perryess of the San Luis Obispo County Animal Shelter found Lilly’s true calling. She noticed that every time Lilly returned to the shelter, the Dog Owner Surrender forms owners filled out listed Lilly’s high energy, toy obsession, and escape artistry as the reasons for surrender. Fortunately for Lilly, that is just the resume SDF looks for!
With the help of an SDF volunteer, Ellen put Lilly through the SDF evaluation and medical clearance process. Lilly checked every box, and SDF was delighted to have found another candidate for our search dog training program!
Lilly was paired with Handler Steve MacDonald in November 2010, and together they joined Nebraska Task Force 1. Steve, a breeder of British Labradors, says it’s no coincidence that he was paired with the yellow Lab. Although the lead trainer made the ultimate decision, Lilly really chose Steve for herself. “She ran straight to me, then she looped around checking out the others, and came right back to me. I guess she could tell I come from a Lab family,” said Steve.
Despite what her long list of previous owners said about her, Steve described Lilly as very laid-back. “She looks like a lazy dog, happy to just hang out. Then you put her collar on and she’s ready to go! She has a great ‘ON/OFF’ switch,” said Steve.
Steve’s family was very excited to have the new addition, too. As soon as Steve was paired with Lilly, he sent a camera phone picture home to his wife Sandy and daughters Madison and McKenzie. In addition to Steve and his family, Lilly joined their pack of six other Labradors! Indeed, Lilly’s personality was well-suited both to her job and her living situation. “It couldn’t have worked out better,” said Steve.
Lilly and Steve became FEMA Certified in September 2011 in Denver, CO, which enabled them to deploy to disaster sites nationwide should the call come. For this team, the first call came on May 20, 2013, when an EF5 tornado ripped through large parts of the city of Moore, MO. Lilly and Steve deployed with other members of Nebraska Task Force 1 to aid in search and rescue efforts alongside various other state teams. For several days, Steve and Lilly searched the rubble for people trapped and helped verify that no one was left behind.
Lilly and Steve continued to train daily in preparation for the next time they were needed and maintained their active deployment status. All teams must take a Certification Evaluation every three years, so on April 12, 2014, Steve and Lilly achieved FEMA Re-Certification in Memphis, TN, and then accomplished this feat a third time on April 23, 2017, and an incredible fourth time on February 2, 2020!
Steve and Lilly were sent on the following additional missions during the remainder of their careers:
- August 24, 2017 – Hurricane Harvey – the Gulf States
- September 11, 2018 – Hurricane Florence – the Carolinas
Lilly maintained a fantastic work ethic and love of the search game her entire life. Steve planned to retire Lilly when her last FEMA certificate expired in the winter of 2023, but sadly, Lilly’s health began to deteriorate in June 2022, and Steve’s veterinarian confirmed that Lilly’s quality of life was compromised. At the age of 13, Lilly peacefully crossed the Rainbow Bridge with her best friend Steve by her side.
A tile commemorating Lilly’s extraordinary life and career will join her search dog teammates and friends at SDF’s Canine Memorial Wall. We appreciate and are grateful for Lilly and Steve’s service to the nation.