National Disaster Search Dog Foundation

05/31/2026

For 30 years, you've helped make our mission possible. 🫶

From the very beginning, SDF's lifesaving work has been driven by people who believed in the power of second chances, and the importance of strengthening disaster response. The incredible support of our community has empowered us to change countless lives over the past 30 years, and together, we look forward to 30 more years of impact!

THANK YOU for being part of the search! 🐾

Be part of the next 30 years: www.searchdogfoundation.org/sdf30/

05/30/2026

🌈💔 We are deeply saddened to share that Search Dog Cole has crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

Cole—originally named Bouncer—was picked up as a stray after he was discovered playing with chickens in a chicken coop, and was brought to El Dorado County Animal Services - West Slope Shelter in Placerville, CA. There, shelter staff took note of his high energy and drive, suspecting he may be a good fit for SDF's program. An initial evaluation was conducted, and it was determined that this energetic, toy-driven boy indeed fit the bill for a career as a search dog.

"Bouncer" made his way to our training center, where he was renamed Cole in honor of long-time SDF supporters, John and Carol Marengo. Here, he proved to be an incredibly fast learner, and thrived in all aspects of his training. One of Cole's trainers summed it up perfectly when she said, "He is such an amazing boy. His ability to search is exceptional. This boy puts everything into it and genuinely enjoys his job."

In 2013, Cole graduated and was partnered with Roxanne Bauman, a firefighter and paramedic with Layton City Fire. The team trained rigorously and achieved certification with Utah Task Force 1 Utah Task Force K9’s, making Cole the first FEMA-certified canine in their county. Together, they responded to several disasters, including a flood, a fire, and Hurricanes Harvey and Laura.

At 14 years old, a mass was discovered in Cole's heart, and Roxanne knew that it was time to say goodbye. On May 6, 2026, Cole crossed the Rainbow Bridge with his best friend and partner by his side. Cole was deeply loved, and will be sorely missed. We thank Cole for his service, and will honor his life and legacy at our Canine Memorial Wall. ❤️

🕊️ You can read more about Cole here: https://www.searchdogfoundation.org/rainbowbridge/?mgi_256=25196/cole-2012-2026

05/29/2026

🚨 DEPLOYMENT REPORT: Lancaster Structure Fire

On Tuesday morning at approximately 12:30 AM, a second-alarm commercial building fire broke out in Lancaster, California.

Following the initial emergency response, Human Remains Detection (HRD) canine teams were called to the scene to assist local officials with recovery efforts. SDF-trained teams Nick Bartel & Six and Jonathan Munguia & Clifford of the Los Angeles County Fire Department deployed to the site and conducted a secondary search, confirming that no one was left behind.

We are incredibly grateful for the dedication and swift action of these canine teams, who work tirelessly to train to be prepared to support their community in the wake of disasters, no matter how big or small. ❤️

🐾 To learn more about the boots and paws on the ground in Lancaster, head to

Human Remains Detection canine teams were called to the scene after a severe second-alarm multi-structure commercial building fire broke out in Lancaster, California.

05/28/2026

🌈💔 It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that Search Dog Keila has crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

When an SDF recruiter stopped at Brightside Animal Center in Oregon, she knew she had hit the jackpot. The behaviorist at Brightside mentioned they had a dog named Keila who wasn't up for adoption since she was too driven for the average household, but she hoped Keila would be a good fit for our program. Boy, was she ever! SDF adopted Keila on the spot and brought her back to California to begin her training.

Initially, Keila would get so excited that she couldn't focus on her training. However, once she had settled in and adapted to her new environment, she gave it another go, and this time she awed everyone with her drive and determination! From that point forward, Keila demonstrated the intelligence, athletic ability, and sweet nature that make the ideal search dog.

In May 2016, Keila graduated and was paired with Brian Girard of the NYS Office of Fire Prevention & Control (OFPC). Just days into training together, Keila made it very clear that Brian was the one she wanted to work with, and following graduation, she made the trip home to Albany to be Brian's loyal partner and teammate. Building on their inseparable bond, the pair continued to hone their search skills, and together they achieved certification with NY-TF2. In total, Keila and Brian deployed an incredible 26 times as a team, including several hurricanes, missing person searches, and structure collapses, flooding, an explosion, and a blizzard.

On May 6, 2026, Keila crossed the Rainbow Bridge with Brian by her side. Keila made a difference in the lives of so many, and will be deeply missed. Her life and dedicated service to her community and the nation will be honored at our Canine Memorial Wall. ❤️

🕊️ You can read more about Keila here: https://www.searchdogfoundation.org/rainbowbridge/?mgi_256=25162/keila-2013-2026

05/28/2026

Happiest of birthdays to Search Dog NAVY! 🎂💕 This sweet, energetic boy enjoyed his early life on a ranch with horses to play with and lots of countryside to explore—the perfect place for a pup with tons of energy! 🐎🌳 Then, he moved to Colorado to train for a career in blood sugar level detection, and his trainers soon realized that while Navy certainly had the smarts for it, that particular line of work couldn't provide him with the outlet for his energy that he needed. So, when Navy's trainer put him on a rubble pile for the first time and he flew across it with ease, they knew just who to call! 💡

Navy excelled in all areas of his training with SDF, and in December 2020, he graduated and was paired with firefighter Brian Medley of the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District. Together they achieved certification with Oakland US&R California Task Force 4, recertifying most recently in March 2024. ⛑️ Their first call to action came in August 2021, when they deployed to the Gulf Coast as Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana. Most recently, in December 2025, the pair deployed to Puyallup, WA to assist citizens impacted by heavy floods. We're so proud of all this pup has accomplished, and we hope Navy's birthday is absolutely "paw-fect"! 🥰🫶

05/27/2026

Happiest of birthdays to Search Dog LESLIE! 🥳💕 Leslie showed search dog potential even as a puppy, and seeing this, our friends at Kaiser K9, Inc reached out to SDF to see if we'd be interested in bringing her on board. While this talented girl was still too young to join our training program at the time, we could see that she indeed had many of the traits we look for in our canine candidates, and SDF staff agreed to foster Leslie while she waited for the day she could officially be evaluated. 📆

When the day finally came, Leslie confidently showed everyone that she had what it took to become a search dog, and she was readily accepted into our program! 🎉 Here, Leslie thrived in search training, approaching each new challenge with impressive drive and determination. 🙌 Before long, she was excelling in her lessons, and it became clearer with every passing day that this little spitfire was born to be a search dog!

In December 2020, Leslie graduated and was partnered with San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Erik Falkenstrom. Together, the pair achieved certification as members of Oakland US&R California Task Force 4, enabling them to deploy with their task force when disaster strikes. In December 2025, Leslie and Erik put their training to the test when they responded to flooding in Puyallup, WA. ⛑️ We can't wait to see all that this dynamic duo will achieve together! Have a fabulous birthday, Leslie! 🎂🫶

05/26/2026

Behind every search dog, every deployment, and every life saved is a community that makes it all possible. 🤝

For 30 years, SDF's work has been fueled by an incredible network of partners, volunteers, adoption heroes, and supporters. This amazing community bolsters our mission to strengthen disaster response, helping us save lives and bring hope to those who need it most.

To everyone who has supported our work and believed in our mission—thank you for being part of the search! 🐾

Be part of the next 30 years: www.searchdogfoundation.org/sdf30/

05/22/2026

Our teams stand ready to deploy at a moment's notice, because when disaster strikes and lives are on the line, every second counts.

For 30 years, SDF-trained search teams have served communities in need by providing a critical, trusted resource in the aftermaths of disasters. Trained to locate survivors hidden beneath the rubble, these teams not only save lives, they also bring much-needed hope to the communities they serve. ❤️

Learn more about our work and find out how you can be part of the next 30 years: https://searchdogfoundation.org/sdf30/

05/15/2026

🚨 DEPLOYMENT REPORT: San Francisco Vehicle Crash

Though their primary focus is urban disaster search, our teams train for a wide variety of scenarios, ensuring they're ready for anything that may come their way. SDF-trained California Task Force 3 - Urban Search & Rescue Team team Max & Samantha Mar of the San Francisco Fire Department put that training to use earlier this month when they were called into action to support a wide area search in San Francisco.

The search came in response to a vehicle crash where an occupant was feared to have been ejected from the vehicle. Thankfully, after a thorough search of the area for anyone who might be missing and in need of medical attention, officials were able to determine that no one was missing from the scene.

We're incredibly proud to see Max and Samantha putting their skills to use to serve their local community, and we congratulate the pair on their first deployment! 🐾

To learn more about this deployment, head to https://www.searchdogfoundation.org/san-francisco-vehicle-crash/