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MILITARY K-9 DOGS

SEARCH & RESCUE DOGS

What Is A Search And Rescue Dog?
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A Search and Rescue Dog is a privately owned, highly-certified and trained dog used in various search situations. These dogs are not breed specific, although Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers are often used as a Search and Rescue Dogs.
What Should I Know About A Search And Rescue Dog?
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  • Search and Rescue is 100% voluntary. The dog teams do not get paid for any of the training, certification or travel that is required.
  • Do not pet a Search and Rescue Dog without the handler’s permission.
  • Search and Rescue Dogs are not allowed in grocery stores or restaurants unless it is in the line of duty.
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What Are Search And Rescue Dogs Trained To Do?
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There are many different jobs these dogs are trained to do, based on what is needed.  
 
The three major areas these dogs work in are:
  • Search for lost/missing people (people lost due to age/confusion/bad weather)
  • Search disaster areas (tornado, avalanche, building collapse, flooded areas).
  • Search for fugitives when teamed with Police teams.
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To perform these tasks, the dogs are typically trained in one or more of the following areas:
  • Water rescue
  • Trailing (article search or scent detection)
  • Tracking (following the footsteps)
  • Human remains detection (A Search and Rescue Dog that is trained in human remains detection (HRD) is often called a Cadaver Dog.)
How Do We Support Search and Rescue Dogs?
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There are many devices that can be provided to help the SAR dogs perform their duties more efficiently and offer comfort in order to prolong the time the dog can work.
  • These dogs use GPS-tracking collars which allow their handler to send the dog into a search area and be able to track it with the hand held monitoring device, rather than slowing the process by keeping the canine on a leash.
  • In the heat of summer, it is important for a dog to have a cooling vest, which will allow them to track for a longer period of time without getting overheated.
  • We  have also provided MukLuks (foot protective booties) for these very special dogs. This MukLuk protects the paws of the Search and Rescue Dog from the elements as well as from any chemical spills that might be in a particular search area following a disaster.
  • We will also provide gas cards and lodging funds for the Search and Rescue Dog teams during times of crisis. This helps to offset the cost of travel for the handler.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

You can purchase a gift from our general Wish List to give to the K-9 or their handler.
You can make a Financial Donation to our organization to help us to purchase specific items that individual Police K-9 handlers have requested.
You can purchase an item from our Amazon Wish List for us to give to the dog and their handler.
You can attend and share our events or even volunteer to help with the event set-up and tear-down.
You can share our Facebook Page Dogs on Duty MO with your friends and tell others about what we do.
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