Meet one of our rockstar search K9s, Havok! 🧡 Havok is a 4-year old boxer / staffordshire terrier mix who is certified in both wilderness live-find and large source cadaver.
Adopted by his handler at 8 weeks old from a litter of 8 rescue puppies, Havok began training at four months and... immediately demonstrated a natural aptitude for working both air and ground scent. When he has found someone, Havok returns to his handler to bark alert and then brings them to the subject where he gets a big game of tug-o-war to celebrate. There’s a running joke about Havok in his training group that he often finds his subjects less than five minutes after deploying, no matter what they had planned!
When he’s not working, you can find Havok napping on the couch or playing with his three dog siblings 🐶🐶🐶
Help support Havok and his important work to find missing people by donating to CARDA via the link in our profile.
This little lost dog found herself at one of our trainings this weekend! After spending a few hours as a CARDA guest, we helped reunite her with her family 🚒🐶
While we specialize in bringing lost humans home, we aren’t above rescuing a dog or two should the situation arise 😉
Camping trip, anyone?
CARDA apprentices are required to complete what we affectionately call their UNO. The “unexpected night out” sign-off is designed to prepare teams for a possible unanticipated night in the wilderness when on a search assignment. First, they are given a survival ...course that covers shelter building, food/water, supplies and more. Then, the handler and their K9 must spend a night alone outdoors with only the gear from their standard search pack (no sleeping bags allowed!).
Join us in congratulating Sonya and Ranger for passing their mission-ready test and becoming a certified trailing team with CARDA!
Interested in learning more about what we do as a K9 search and rescue non-profit? Check out our website link in bio.
This weekend, @vcairunit hosted 16 CARDA members from across the state, alongside @vcsok9unit, to offer two days of helicopter safety training including cold and hot loads.
The air unit members were amazingly patient and helped create a positive experience for even the most cautious K9s ...and humans! We gave back (just a tiny bit) by demonstrating how to make an emergency K9 muzzle with a leash, rope, or gauze.
It was truly a pleasure working with them and we’re so grateful for their time.
K9 Marlow is four months old and just beginning his journey as a trailing prospect with CARDA! We can’t wait to see how this little guy grows.
Join us in congratulating Kim and K9 River for passing their mission-ready test and becoming a certified trailing team with CARDA! Well done, you two 🐶🧡
For the past two decades, we’ve partnered with California’s Office of Emergency Services to support hundreds of searches for missing people across the state every year. Learn more about our mutual aid search operations with @cal_oes on our website (link in profile).
Watch K9 Lance and his handler, Jess, rock their avalanche mission-ready test! Congratulations, you two - super well done.