Local Group Trains Dogs for S&R Success
Monterey Bay Search Dogs, Inc. (MBSD) was founded in 1988 by residents of Monterey and Santa Cruz counties experienced in search and rescue work. We are one of only three Search Dog groups in the State of California that have a Memorandum of Understanding with the California Emergency Management Agency. This means we are officially sanctioned to prepare handlers and their canine partners to be effective participants in searches for missing people, in both wilderness and disaster situations.
Quarry and Scout, photo: © 2011 Chantal Rose
Our Certified Teams are fielded at the request of local, state or federal agencies and have responded to such major events as the 1995 bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City, the World Trade Center attacks of 9/11/2001, and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, as well as finding a great number of local missing people in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties over the years. We are a small group but rich in experience, and we have a passion for training search dogs!
It takes about two years of training before a team is ready to certify in either wilderness or disaster search work. We meet weekly for trainings, at locations varying from one end of Monterey north to various parts of the the Bay Area. Each team work at their own pace on mastering specific skills that are essential in the field, including obedience, direction and control, and agility. Once certified, training continues for the life of these amazing working dogs. Our dogs are air scenting dogs and disaster and wilderness search are perfect for cross training if it is of interest to handlers and dogs. In both disciplines the dog will alert only on live human scent. Disaster search work is the most difficult of the search disciplines and not all dogs (or people) are cut out for it. Only about 260 dogs in the U.S. have attained FEMA certification for this very specialized, difficult, and risky work.
Quarry alerting to something in the rubble, photo: © 2011 Chantal Rose
Disaster certification at the higher levels can now only take place through joining a Task Force, so we encourage the teams we train to join one as soon as they are likely to certify. Our team members are connected with California Task Force 3 based at Menlo Park Fire.
Wilderness teams are encouraged to join their local Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue teams, although we can be called out through the state’s mutual aide system, as well. All our certified teams are part of both the Santa Cruz County and the Monterey County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue teams Some of our team members have taken on leadership roles with our Sheriff’s SAR team by being Canine Coordinators. If you think you and your dog might be good at this work, keep in mind that Canine Search and Rescue demands a tremendous amount of time and dedication on your part, and your canine partner needs to have the “right stuff” to do the job.
Quarry listening to commands while crossing a plank, photo: © 2011 Chantal Rose
There are lots of ways to help our efforts. Our local high schools require community service from their students and we often have students come out and help with training sessions. We also use volunteers as missing subjects for our dogs to find. New training sites are always welcome and we are constantly seeking donations and community partners to support this work. Get in touch if you want to be involved and we’re sure to find a place for you in this exciting and satisfying field.
Chantal Rose is Treasurer/ Canine Training Director for Monterey Bay Search Dogs, Inc. (MBSD), a nonprofit 501 (3c) organization. She is also Canine Coordinator for CATF3 Please check out the MBSD website at www.montereybaysearchdogs.org for more information about search-and-rescue dogs, to be evaluated for possible training, or to donate to the cause.
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