We were thrilled to welcome a large crowd of friends, family, supporters, and staff to our campus earlier this month to help us celebrate the latest additions to our search team roster. Two Oklahoma and four California first responders were welcomed into the SDF family as America’s six newest search teams, officially paired
on June 3, 2023.
Particularly poignant to this cohort, handlers were told the identities of their new canine partners on April 19, the anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. SDF’s founder, Wilma Melville, and her dog, Murphy, participated in rescue efforts in the aftermath of that disaster, and the experience inspired her to create a facility where first responders could gain and maintain the skills necessary to respond to future disasters more effectively. The full-circle implications of this moment made this pairing ceremony all the more special, and we’re grateful for the support of our SDF community for continuing to make this important work possible.
We’re also incredibly proud of these new handlers for their accomplishments and pleased to introduce them as the latest members of our country’s disaster response. Congratulations!
CALIFORNIA TASK FORCE 1
CALIFORNIA TASK FORCE 5
OKLAHOMA TASK FORCE 1
Watch our Search Team Pairing Ceremony video here!
Now, they join the ranks of two- and four-legged heroes across the country who are ready to search for survivors in the aftermath of a disaster. In the next year, each handler and search dog will work together every day, honing their skills, growing their incredible bond, and preparing for certification to make them deployable with their fire departments and task forces.
And we have YOU to thank for helping to make it all “paws-ible.”
You have been with us every step of the way as our dedicated community, joining forces with us to help animals and humans in their time of greatest need.
Thank you to the following folks for helping us form these pairings:
- Kaiser K9 for donating Alder.
- Julie Croker for sponsoring Alder.
- Cory Miller and Working Dogs for Conservation for referring Atlas.
- Four-Legged Kids Bus for transporting Atlas, Mason and Nala.
- Donors who love being his cheerleader for sponsoring Atlas.
- Aberdeen Area Humane Society & South Dakota Canine Center for sending us Mason.
- John Larsen and Jim Sandmire with Pilots N Paws for transporting Mason.
- Jill Bee and Loren Glasser for sponsoring Mason.
- Southern California Golden Retriever Rescue for sending us Nala.
- Winnie Yeh and family for fostering Nala.
- The Joel and Dena Gambord Family for sponsoring Nala.
- Bollinger County Stray Project for sending us Nanci.
- M. Lawrence Lallande and Nicole Lallande for sponsoring Nanci.
- Trevor Lawrence for sending us Ruger.
- Seline Karakaya for sponsoring Ruger.
