View Archives2008 Hernandez Canine Sponsorship Recipient - Susan Fife
The National Search Dog Alliance and Kai Thompson
Hernandez are pleased to announce the award of the 2008 Hernandez Search Dog Sponsorship to Susan Fife of Illinois. NSDA is very pleased and honored to be able to partner with Mrs. Kai
Thompson Hernandez to present this sponsorship.
Susan Fife was chosen after thorough review of all applications. Susan is a member of Search & Rescue Dogs of Illinois (SARDI).
This sponsorship was established to honor the memory of Kai's deceased husband, Glen Thompson, who was killed during the attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11/2001. It also honors the others who lost their lives as well as all those who responded and conducted searches in the aftermath of the attack on our country.
Kai has said that she was so touched, impressed and appreciative of all who responded that she wanted to give something back. She was especially drawn to the search canines and their handlers who responded and put themselves at risk in their attempts to help. She knows that there is a great deal of time and personal expense borne by the canine handlers. This sponsorship is one of her ways of saying THANK YOU and helping ensure that there continues to be qualified handlers and canines.
Award Winner Profile
Susan Fife, DVM, is a member of
Search & Rescue Dogs of Illinois (SARDI). She holds certificates in NIMS 100-700, is a SARTECH II and has attended training at the Department of Homeland Security. Susan's
first search dog, Josie Wales, has been a tremendous learning partner and she hopes to find a strong K-9 partner to help make a difference in someone's life and to further her
training.
In her application, Susan says, “Although I risk sounding trite, 9/11 explains why I train SAR. It was the defining point of many Americans; those of us too young to have experienced wars, it left feeling vulnerable, helpless, alone. It left me needing an outlet and purpose.
“As a veterinarian, my life’s work has been to help animals and in turn their people; SAR became an extension of this. My love for animals developed into an incredible bond/partnership that enabled us to reach for a higher goal of extending toward people.”
She is a 1996 graduate of the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. She is certified in veterinary acupuncture by the Chi Institute, in animal chiropractic by the American Chiropractic Association and also holds a certificate in veterinary rehabilitation. She is currently employed by the Veterinary Specialty Center in Buffalo Grove and also owns her own mobile holistic house call business with a special interest in canine athletes and their conditioning.
Update 05/05/09
Having come to the end of a very long, very cold and very icy winter, we are preparing to get more serious in our training. Unfortunately, the weather has been a major deterrent in our progression.
I am not currently a member of a team and rely on the generosity of friends to work on air scent techniques such as runaways. In the meantime, we work on toy drive, directionals, obedience and agility - the other skills that all search dogs will need.
As the weather becomes more favorable, and Gryphon becomes more mature, we are looking forward to finding a team with which to train consistently and with more fervor. Gryphon seems to be a very intelligent and eager pupil and together we make very dedicated students learning the skills necessary to enable us to be an effective partnership. With continued hard work we will become great assets to a team.