National Search Dog Alliance K-9 Memorial

This page is set aside in memory of our valuable partners who are no longer with us. We who have lost dogs know that no words can ever convey our very deep, personal feelings but we would like others to know a little bit about our great friends. Some have made famous 'finds'. Others have spent their entire lives clearing areas where no one was located. All have trained and worked faithfully and tirelessly to help us save lives and as such, deserve to be remembered and honored.

We extend this special page for members of the National Search Dog Alliance. If you are a NSDA member and have lost your K-9 partner (field operative or in training), please send us your partner's photograph and up to 300 words to share your thoughts with us all. E-mail your write-up and photo (in jpg) to Sue Wolff at or mail to National Search Dog Alliance, K-9 Memorial, 1302 Waugh Drive, #121, Houston, TX. 77019.

"Cooler Nite"

2001 - 2010

K-9 Cooler Nite was one of the first K-9's on Tennessee Special Response Team-A (TN SRT-A) She and her handler, Bonnie Grooms, joined TN SRT-A in March of 2004. Since that time, they had participated in over thirty searches until K-9 Cooler retired in 2009 due to health issues.

K-9 Cooler was certified as a Canine Sartech II in Area Search and Human Remains Detection (land) She had also been trained in tracking

Cooler was called out many times to search in the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. She responded to diverse types of calls such as a missing horse and rider; lost hikers; missing Alzheimer's patients; and a skeleton found by turkey hunters.

Cooler's SAR legacy will live on with her handler and granddaughters, K-9 Diamond and K-9 Bandy. Both dogs are nationally certified in Human Remains Detection (land).

"Quanto"

July 2010

On July 23, 2010, K9 Quanto passed away. He was the partner of Roane County Detective Sergeant and Tennessee Special Response Team-A Director Arthur E. Wolff

Quanto's reputation as a solid patrol, explosive and SAR working dog was well known by agencies at all levels of government. Area Search Squads and law enforcement agencies learned what a properly trained SAR dog has to offer during a search by watching him work.

Q, as he was known by all, was the first dog in the nation to receive NASAR's K9 SARTECH 1 in Trailing. He was also NASAR's representative in Pedigree's Paws to Recognize

"Suka"

February 27, 1998-March 5, 2009

Suka Vom Haus Grossen Hund was her full name but everyone knew her as �Suka�. Suka was born February 27, 1998, and lost her battle with cancer on March 5, 2009

Suka was trained in all aspects of Search and Rescue work including avalanche, wilderness, disaster, land and water Human Remains Detection and tracking/ trailing.

Suka also enjoyed Preventative Search and Rescue (PSAR) presentations for groups, especially children, whom she loved, probably because their hands always had something tasty that needed to be licked off. Suka could always be counted on to demonstrate to these groups in dramatic fashion what a search dog does

Suka was a methodical, thorough worker and loved doing what she did. It did not matter if it was training or an actual search, she went at each with enthusiasm.

�

Kylo's Black Molli

December 25, 1994 to April 19, 2009
Handler Lisa Higgins
Louisiana Search and Rescue Dog Team

Molli was given too me by an officer in our department. She was the product of two working narcotics dogs and was focused and working from the moment her feet touched the ground in my home at seven weeks old. I remember fondly that little black velvet puppy with the sparkling eyes that knew nothing but joy in life and grew to love to work.

In quieter moments, Molli came to work with me teaching disadvantaged children, from severe, profound handicaps to behavior disorders. She was best at helping them to learn math. She could bark the correct answers to addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and square roots. It didn't matter that it was a trick that only she and I knew or that our signals to start and stop barking were something only we saw in one another. It made it fun to learn math and so the kids progressed. We were honored our final year of teaching with a 100% pass rate in the math section of the LEAP test.

She taught me so much in life. She taught me the joy in working in its purest sense, of perseverance, of caring tremendously for someone or something outside of myself. There are still several people locked away because of her work. There are many families that found peace in the return of their loved ones and two special people that live today because of her work as well.

Molli was not my first SAR dog; she was my second. Still, Molli was my once in a lifetime dog, my "Best Girl" and I will miss her more than words can convey. I hope that there really is a special place for dogs like ours. I hope that her spirit runs again with Frosty's...she loved him so...her body rests beside his now and that is as it should be.

�

Ollie

Ollie was a true rescue pup. In 1998 his biological Mother, a red headed Golden Retriever and eight babies were, intentionally, left to die in a garage on a 100 degree day in August. Ladue Rabies Control kindly picked them up and rescue took them in. The pups were only 5 weeks old and they all came into foster care with seizures and high temperatures. God saw fit to only take one of the babies and all were adopted, except one. He was the last pick. His foster Mom even thought he was sort of a �dufus� and that he might be better off staying with her. Over time his Mother began to realize that Ollie had special talents. He had a tremendous drive for chasing tennis balls which wasn�t unusual for a Retriever. However, even at a very young age he would go out in the woods and find the exact ball that had been thrown � even if there were ten others out there. And, if it took him 30 minutes to find �that� specific ball, he wouldn�t give up.

Ollie�s Mom tried to get him involved in search and rescue, but it wasn�t until after 911 that some civilian groups popped up. In 2003 the two of them became members of Gateway Search Dogs, Inc., and, in 2005 Ollie became one of four nationally certified, wilderness search and rescue dogs in the State of Missouri. This certification had been achieved by less than 200 canines in the nation.

Ollie had to go to the Rainbow Bridge on July 19, 2006, but not without leaving his mark. He was called out several times to search for lost and missing persons. Although he never had an actual �find�, on his very first search he gave a perfect indication that the subject had recently been in the area. After the subject was located safe and sound, the police relayed that Ollie had been right on target. His zest for life will be missed by all who knew him. And, his Mom wants to thank �Jolly Ollie� for all the hours of training and the joy, love and friendship he gave her � to be surpassed by none.

�

K-9 Cherokee

December 10, 2002-October 5, 2008
Handlers Roy and Suzie Ferguson
Sevierville, Tennessee
Tennessee Special Response Team-A

K-9 Cherokee had been a service dog all of his life. He was devoted to helping others.

He began life as a Leader Dog for the Blind puppy assigned to Suzie and Roy Ferguson. Due to a potential problem with his elbow, Cherokee was career changed and became a search and rescue canine.

In 2005, K-9 Cherokee became a nationally certified Area Search Dog. He followed that certification with ones in Human Remains Detection (land) at the forensics level and Human Remains Detection (water). In his short, three year career as a SAR dog, K-9 Cherokee participated in many searches with Tennessee Special Response Team-A.

K-9 Cherokee also participated in the Human-Animal Bond in Tennessee (HABIT) program through the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. He visited the elderly and infirm at both the Sevier County Health Care Center and Wellington Place of Sevierville. He was a quiet listener to 2nd grade readers in Miss Clark�s class at Boyds Creek Elementary School.

He was also the official greeter at Suzie and Roy�s optical shop in Sevierville. Since he had been seen around town since he was a puppy, he was well known to many local people and businesses. Suzie commented that she did not realize how many lives Cherokee had touched. This was evidenced by the number of cards, letters and calls they received after Cherokee�s death.

K-9 Cherokee was six (6) years old.

Coyote

April 1, 1994 � August 13, 2008
Marcia Koenig, Handler
Kent, Washington
King County Search Dogs
What a great ride we had together, Coyote!

Coyote was born on April Fools Day. I gave her the name of Coyote, the trickster. The birth date and name could�t have been more appropriate for her. And what a dog she was.

I trained Coyote in cadaver, water, disaster and trailing. She and I participated in nearly 250 searches. Coyote had 19 cadaver finds, 8 water finds, 3 walk up lifesaving trailing finds, 1 air scent find, 2 article finds and many evidence trails for the police. But more than numbers, I remember the training and the searches and the untold times she lived up to her name.

When we took the FEMA test, instead of being directed through the agility course, Coyote picked up the cones that marked the agility obstacles and ran off with them. I signed us up for more agility classes. But nine days after this fiasco she had her first find(s) � disarticulated bones from a homicide.

I loved going on searches with Coyote. Several from my records stand out:

1/1/1997 Enumclaw, Washington: Coyote�s first trailing search and find! My first live find!
Coyote and I had two other life-saving trailing finds in her career.
8/17-23/1997 Airplane crash, Guam
9/9-14/2005 Hurricane Katrina, Gulfport and Biloxi, Mississippi

Coyote and I had the terrific partnership. I like to think that she and Griz are running around harassing each other now.

Grizzly

1996 - 2007, 11 years

Andy Rebman, Handler
Kent, Washington
King County Search Dogs

K-9 Boo

Beloved Partner of Tami Treadway

Boo started his life out being rescued by the Sarasota County Sheriff�s Office (Florida) from an owner who was abusive. Boo was treated at a local Animal Hospital and held at Animal Services. He was bruised and cut but his spirit was not broken. After a year long legal battle Boo was awarded to the Animal Services for adoption. He had heartworms and mange and went through treatment.

I had just started volunteering with Sarasota K9 Search & Rescue & I felt Boo had all the skills for search work. I saw the drive, spirit and abilities in Boo that would make an excellent search dog. He had lots of stamina and nerve strength even though he had been abused by humans.
For the next 10 years Boo and I became highly skilled in all phases of search and rescue. He was ready to search at anytime and acted like training was the real thing. He earned his CGC, American Temperament Test and Therapy title and visited area schools and civic groups to demonstrate the importance of being safe. Because Boo was so versatile and represents the issues of animal cruelty, animal adoptions, foster care, search and rescue and veterinarian care he was selected as the Southwest Florida Veterinary Medical Associations first recipient of their �Hero Award� in 1999. Boo had gone from being rescued to a rescuer.

Boo had been my partner and soul mate since I adopted him in 1998 but he passed away suddenly on March 13, 2008. He amazed me everyday at the stamina he had for a 13 year old dog. He searched with all his heart and soul and loved to serve. He has watched over my children and our home and taught all our new search puppies the ropes. His trust, caring and commitment to me and the community makes him a real K9 hero.

"A.K.A. "Scout"

5/17/85 to 5/15/96

Beloved Partner of Susan Bulanda

Scout was the first Beauceron in the United States to be a SAR dog. Scout worked until the day before he died from a ruptured tumor of the spleen (cancer). He was an exceptional dog who earned a stellar reputation with emergency people in our area. Police departments would call us even though they had K-9's on staff, when they had a situation that Scout could handle. His ability as a SAR dog was recognized by all those who worked with him or watched him. Although years have passed since he left, he is still my most treasured companion and partner. Words cannot describe how much we all miss him.

Just-a-Wynter Witchcraft
"SAR K-9 Diana"

Beloved Partner of Judy Otto
October 29, 1999 - Sept. 5, 2007

Martin Luther, founder of the Lutheran faith, once said, "Fear not, little dog. In the world to come, you too shall wear a crown of gold." I should hope so.

SAR K-9 Diana sacrificed her life in the line of duty, during a search training exercise on a misty night when visibility was poor. She died instantly as the result of a 12' fall from an unsuspected overhang into a gully filled with bricks. My team helped bury her on family property, beside her consort, SAR K-9 Max (2/22/93-9/19/06), who had cherished her faithfully in life, and predeceased her by less than a year.

One moment, she was my sassy Princess, full of life and fire and attitude, supremely confident that the world was created to amuse and adore her. The next, she was gone.

Her joyful enthusiasm for her work; the eagerness with which she threw her heart into giving her best and boldly tackling every challenge; and the exuberant delight and pride she took in "showing off" her expert skills-confident, poised, charming and gracious to strangers-all made Diana a perfect ambassador at SAR demos. She was a born showgirl who loved the spotlight and the attention of the audience-and she made people smile.

I have been amazed and humbled by the outpouring of sympathy, and the realization of how many people loved Diana, and how many lives she touched during her life of service.

I am proud to have had such a special partner, and thankful that she left me in a blaze of glory-happy, triumphant, at the top of her game, knowing she was loved and valued-and without suffering. I will forever miss her vibrant presence-effervescent, irrepressible, full of herself, supremely confident of her 'SAR-power' and her right to rule her full-grown sons with an iron paw-and, above all, a master communicator of her overflowing joy in life and her love for me.

Till later, Diana.

FREDERICK ARGO VON KITCHENS HAUS - "FRITZ"

SEPT. 1996 - NOV. 2007

"I firmly believe that any dog's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is the moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle with a ball in his mouth."

Beloved partner, friend and companion of Jim and Dee Park for eleven wonderful years. His work ethic was beyond comparison. He always came through with anything and everything he was asked to do. He will be greatly missed in the search and rescue community for his unfailing work. He was nationally certified during his career by NAPWADA, NNDDA,and AMERICAN WORKING DOG in trailing and HRD. He was called out by many law enforcement agencies and was a proud member of The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's TEAM ADAM.

�� back to top

FIDELCO GUIDE DOG FOUNDATION'S "GEITZ"

Born February 6, 1994,�Geist was destined for a "career"�job change. Initially named Geist, which is "spirit" in German, he became Geitz to the children in the foster family who raised him. In puppy classes he�was decidedly too�vocal for guide work and was geist donated to the Connecticut State Police. There he was outstanding in his agility and trailing training but did not want to do the bite work. This happy guy was returned to Fidelco where he was offered to me as a Search And Rescue (SAR) dog prospect in January 1996. It was still early in my avocation as a SAR dog handler and�I had another dog I was trying to train as a search dog so I tried to find a good situation for Geist.� There were no takers so he stayed with me but I soon learned that he had far more to offer and greater potential than my current trainee.

That same year Geist became one of the founders of TASK-9 and we became certified a Generic Air-scent Team a year or so later. From that point on he was never a pet but always my soul mate, partner, leader, teacher, big-hearted, full of joy, humor, love, and wisdom. Often called the Golden Retriever in German Shepherd Dog clothing, he made all his finds with aplomb, a propeller tail, and happy full body wags. He was the standard to which we measured all SAR dog prospects; numbering more than two dozen Fidelco bred dogs, and others, placed around the world. He is pictured in the book "Dog Heroes" by Jen Bidner and�was a SAR Dog Equipment model for Sue Ponder's Canine Clothiers,�at dogduds.com.

SPIRIT, TEACHER, CHOW HOUND almost up to the end by begging junk dog biscuits, when he was then assisted to the Rainbow Bridge at approximately 1:30 a.m. on December 8, 2005.

I will miss that wisdom forever and wonder if he still had more lessons to teach.�� Back to top

�

��

NSDA SAR Dog News