Congratulations to Team Seamus for passing the IPWDA certifications this weekend for HRD-Land, HRD-Shoreline, and HRD-Water; Team Finn for HRD-Land; Team Booth for HRD-Land, HRD-Shoreline, and HRD-Water; Team Rocky for Wilderness Search – 40 Acres; Team Gunner for HRD-Land; Team Rey for Wilderness Search – 40 Acres; Team Gator for HRD-Land; and Team Rennes for Wilderness Search – 40 Acres.
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IPWDA Certifications
Saturday, April 9th, 2022Brazos Valley Gives 2020
Thursday, October 1st, 2020Search Dog Network is gearing up for the Brazos Valley Gives campaign for 2020. Would you like to donate “matching funds?” Here is a summary of what that would mean:
* Donations would not be made online, they would be made (or pledged) directly to SDN, as early as October 1st, and as late as October 27th.
* “Matching funds” are intended to motivate other donors to contribute, so that their donations are “doubled.”
* Donors contributing “matching funds” can be recognized on our SDN web page, on the Brazos Valley Gives web page, on our FaceBook page, OR donors may remain anonymous.
* Organizations receiving $3000 or more in matching funds will be put in a drawing, eligible to receive $1000 more in donations from the event sponsors.
* SDN remains a 501c3 organization and a receipt for tax purposes will be sent for the amount donated. This page lists our current needs.
* Please email info@searchdogs.org to set up matching funds, or visit the Brazos Valley Gives web page for a regular donation October 1st – October 27th.
Helping to bring closure
Tuesday, September 29th, 2020Search Dog Network assisted the Wortham, Texas Police Department in August. Canine Remi located the remains of the man, who had been missing for nearly a month. Here is a link to an article about the search.
Brazos Valley Giving Day
Monday, September 23rd, 2019Friends of Search Dog Network, we have chosen to participate in Brazos Valley Giving Day, an 18-hour event to be held on October 22, 2019. We humbly ask that you consider supporting us with a donation on that day, or beginning October 8th for pre-scheduled donations.
We are a 501(c)(3) organization that provides search services at no cost to the requesting agency. Search Dog Network is a 100% volunteer team of unpaid professionals. We receive funds from our members, grants, and donations. Any funds donated will be used to purchase equipment to help us search more safely or effectively.
While our primary search area is the Brazos Valley (Brazos, Burleson, Grimes, Leon, Madison, Milam, Robertson and Washington Counties in Texas), we respond outside of this area when contacted by Law Enforcement or when requested as mutual aid by another Search & Rescue resource.
Donations on the Brazos Valley Giving Day web page may start at $10, with no maximum limit, and are open to anyone inside or beyond the Brazos Valley. Receipts for tax purposes will be provided within an hour of donation.
Thank you for your support!
2017 Canine Certification Testing
Thursday, May 11th, 2017
SDN team member Mark, serving as a mock victim for a trailing test, just after he was located by canine Woodrow and handler Karen from Alamo Area Search & Rescue.
Search Dog Network’s mission is to train, certify, and deploy professional canine search teams to locate missing persons. In keeping with our mission, our canines participate in a national certification test every two years through the International Police Work Dog Association (IPWDA). In collaboration with our response partners, SDN hosted this year’s test the first weekend of April. Throughout the weekend, 27 canine and handler teams from 7 canine search and rescue teams challenged the IPWDA certification standards for air scent, trailing, and human remains detection on land, shoreline, and water.
Canine and handler teams perform the obedience portion of the test. Canines Sophie, Sonic, Taser, and Kaja Joe demonstrate on-lead behavior.
Canine Kaja Joe is guided across a plank by handler Tami from Travis County Search & Rescue while canine Taser looks on with handler Denise from Cy-Fair Fire Department.
IPWDA testing for canine wilderness search involves an obedience and agility component. For the past couple of months, our canine teams have been practicing a group “down-stay,” walking at a heel, coming on command, walking across a plank, and allowing new people to load the dog into their car. Canine obedience both individually and in a group is crucial for the safety of dogs—especially in some of the terrain and weather conditions we face in this part of Texas.
The search portion of the test varies for each type of dog. Wilderness air scent dogs searched a 40 acre search segment, whereas human remains detection dogs searched a 2 acre segment (per IPWDA standards). Both testing scenarios have a time limit and could include up to two mock victims. Testing trailing dogs required more careful planning, because the mock victim had to lay a trail several hours in advance and remain in place until the search test was complete. These dogs used a scent object from the mock victim to help locate the trail.
Human remains detection canine Remi and handler LaNell return from the field after their test.
Water test scenarios for human remains detection dogs included a shoreline test with the source a few feet underwater near a shoreline or involved the canine perching on the bow of a boat sniffing for source fully-submerged in a larger body of water. Water testing for canines is a more advanced skill that takes lots of practice. Search Dog Network is often called to help with water searches, so we practice water searching as frequently as we can.
Setting up testing was an intense team effort and required careful coordination of resources. SDN found a suitable testing location, mapped out search segments for each type of test, planned and coordinated the testing schedule with all the testing teams, recruited mock victims for the air scent tests, and managed the logistics of test days with resource tracking from the SDN trailer, on-site veterinary care, transportation, and refreshments for all those testing. While weather conditions were near-perfect during the first two testing days, intense storm forecasts for the third required on-the-fly adjustments to condense three days of testing into two so that all canine teams could safely test before the bad weather arrived. Our SDN testing coordinators, Matt Young and Teresa Medearis did an amazing job with these schedule changes and all testing teams were fairly accommodated.
Human remains detection canine Noggin and handler Teresa during their water test. SDN member Chris serves as boat operator.
In all, SDN certified 4 new canine handler teams and recertified 5 veteran canine handler teams, doubling our canine resources. Congratulations to all who challenged and passed the test!
New Handlers:
- Kaitlin & K9 Sadie in Trailing
- Daniel & K9 RJ in Wilderness Air Scent
- Kim & K9 Seamus in Human Remains
- LaNell & K9 Remi in Human Remains
Recertified Handlers:
- Katie & K9 Aziva in Wilderness Air Scent and Human Remains
- Teresa & K9 Noggin in Human Remains
- Teresa & K9 Gator in Human Remains
- Jim & K9 Sonic in Wilderness Air Scent
- Matt & K9 Zapp in Human Remains
Jim, Matt, and Chris confer at the SDN trailer, which served as the operations base for resource tracking and communications.
SDN team members shared logistics duties during the testing. Leiha drives the gator to transport testers to and from their testing locations
Vet student volunteers from the Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team provided on-site care for canine Kaja Joe of Travis County Search & Rescue.
Photos are courtesy of Mark Garton.
Glaucoma
Saturday, February 6th, 2016Your dog’s eye is watering, sinks in and is reddened at times. Did he run into a mesquite shrub, get stung? Normal questions for SAR handlers and their trouble prone dogs! However, when the eye is involved, I recommend getting vet advice as soon as possible.
Brennan’s left eye was watering and sometimes reddened
Brennan experienced these symptoms and despite multiple vet visits, he lost vision in the left eye and eventually had to have it removed. We had participated in the free eye exam for service dogs several times at Gulf Coast Eye Clinic in Houston with some minor problems noted in his eye lids and a comment about the angles of his eye. Our last visit was in 2011. I should definitely have paid more attention to understanding the impact of bad angles. (By the way, this is an awesome opportunity for SAR handlers and their partners and I highly recommend you take advantage of it if you are eligible!! See ACVO/Merial Service dog eye exams, usually offered in the spring.)
Brennan’s left eye, reddened
When the symptoms started, we treated him for an eye infection and he had a small mass on his shoulder that was a mast cell tumor. He was noted to be anemic during his pre op blood work, so we delayed the surgery. By the time we got his blood work more normal, the mass had disappeared. The eye had a small corneal ulcer that we also treated.
We were referred back to the Houston eye clinic and they got us in quickly, just to confirm that he was blind in the left eye and given the diagnosis of glaucoma. Treatment began – there were 3 sets of drops for the involved eye (2- 3 x day) and 1 set of drops for the other eye (2 x day).
Brennan and Elyssa
By late September, we were losing the battle. The ulcer was progressing despite being trimmed and treated with antibiotics. He had been blind in the eye for some time with some compensation starting to evolve. The pressure in the eye was in the low 30s. Normal for a dog is 8 – 18. People report a great deal of pain and headache with elevated pressures and the vets believe he was also very uncomfortable.
The eye was removed in early October 2013, just after I had minor surgery as well. So we spent a few very quiet days and then began the journey back to work. To complicate matters, the mast cell tumor reappeared at his post op check for the eye. We waited a bit to allow recovery from the first surgery, then had the tumor and another small growth removed. After about 6 months, he had adjusted enough to catch a ball in the air, jump into the truck with only a minor delay, and return to full search training and his pet therapy visits.
Brennan’s left eye was removed in October, 2013
Due to the abnormal structure of his eye, we treat the right eye with drops to control the pressure 2 x day. He is being monitored by Gulf Coast eye clinic veterinarians, who come to TAMU 2 x month, every 3 to 6 months. The pressure in his right eye is staying in the low range of normal with the medication.
The good news is that SAR dogs need their noses more than both eyes.
He assisted with a recovery for the team on a search in June 2014 and it was truly a celebration of healing and teamwork for our SDN family!
We still like to play
Brennan came from the San Marcos Animal Shelter in 2009, heartworm positive and underweight, but one happy dog loving to chase a ball and tug. I am privileged to share his journey and hope his story will help someone else catch this disease in their canine partner.
SDN Operations Trailer Operational!
Thursday, September 11th, 2014After many months of hard work, SDN recently finished Phase I of our Operations Trailer project. The addition of the trailer allows us to access the computer and information systems required to manage a complex search operation within a secure and weather resistant environment. The trailer started life with Search Once Rescue Team of Lewisville, TX where it served as their operations center for 14 productive years. SDN acquired the trailer in June of 2012 and pressed it into service at a search in Milam County. We then began a long refit process building on the work of Search One.
The trailer served Search One well for 14 years
Members spent many hours scraping, sanding, hammering, and rebuilding where necessary.
Joel in his element
Blanton ponders life’s many questions
Off with the old
Viktor tackles the wiring
We were able to complete the work in stages, and continue to train with and deploy the trailer as required.
Trailer at Fort Boggy State Park before her shiny new decals
Jim briefs a team before deployment
Members track resources during a BVCART Exercise
After many long days and late nights, Phase I is complete. Phase II will include improvements to the battery system, computer displays, and an expanded storage area. As anyone with an RV or boat will testify, there is always more work to do!
Ellen at the revamped Plans station
Denise tracks her troops
Deployed at a search in College Station (courtesy KAGS – @KAGSnews)
A happy team & shiny new (to us) trailer
We could not have done it without the steadfast support of the following:
- Search One Rescue Team
- The George Bush Foundation
- Pilger’s Tire & Automotive
- The Bill and Jackie Clark Memorial Foundation
- The Community Foundation of the Brazos Valley
- Fast Signs
- RDM Audio
Search Dog Network Featured in local Media
Sunday, June 15th, 2014Search Dog Network would like to thank the Bryan-College Station Eagle for Wednesday’s wonderful article. We appreciate the opportunity to share the hard work of our two legged and four legged team members with the community!
Stuart Villanueva/ The Eagle
K-9 handler Mary Haislet of the Search Dog Network and her dog, Noggin, trek through the woods while training at Lake Bryan on Tuesday.
Follow the link for the full article: Training Pays Off for Bryan’s Search Dog Network
16th Birthday
Monday, July 29th, 2013
Thank you to Kroger on Boonville Road for the cake!
Search Dog Network is celebrating our 16th birthday this month!
Search Dog Network originally started in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1996. The Team’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer was Dave Bartel, a retired El Paso County Deputy, Canine Handler and County Search & Rescue Coordinator.
In 1997 the Team established a Chapter in Bryan/College Station to meet the needs of the Brazos Valley. In 1998, while searching for a lost mushroom collector in the mountains of Colorado, Dave died of a heart attack. After about a year the Team in Colorado dissolved and the Team management moved to Texas.
Search Dog Network’s mission is to Train, Certify, and Deploy professional Search Teams to locate lost and missing persons.
Since 1997 we have deployed Teams on 93 missions, fielding 180 search teams. The Teams have included Canine Wilderness Air Scent, Canine Human Remains Detection, Canine Disaster Search, Canine Water Search as well as Ground Teams and a boat with Side Scan Sonar for Water Recovery.
Our strength comes from the dedication of our Team Members; we currently have trained 18 trained Volunteers and 8 certified Canines. In addition to our members we are able to call on our mutual aid agreements with other professional Teams in Texas including:
- Alamo Area Search & Rescue in San Antonio
- Travis County Search & Rescue in Austin
- Search One Rescue Team in Dallas
- Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department’s Rescue Team in Cy-Fair
In addition our Team gains experience by working with:
- Brazos Valley Child Abduction Response Team
- Brazos Valley Search & Rescue
Our “Birthday” present is an Operations Trailer that will allow us to better manage search operations and planning and better support the Teams in the field.
Humminbird 1198c Sonar
Sunday, July 7th, 2013Newest team acquisition: Humminbird 1198c Sonar
SDN Team members training on the sonar at Lake Bryan
Thanks to a grant from the American Kennel Club, Search Dog Network was able to purchase a Humminbird 1198c Sonar unit. The team has been training on it since its receipt in May, 2012. This unit is a side-scan sonar that allows the user to view objects under the water to the sides of the boat. Also, it tells the user the water depth, boat speed, GPS coordinate, as well as other information. Members are training on it on a regular basis to increase proficiency.
This sonar unit is an important addition to SDN missions due to the number of water recovery missions for which we’re deployed. A water recovery canine is useful for narrowing down the search area in a big lake. The sonar can narrow this larger area down to a smaller area, so divers don’t have to search such a large area. This greatly increases diver safety.
Image from the sonar