AKC and AKC CAR Salutes Returning SAR Canine Heroes From Haiti
The American Kennel Club and American Kennel Club Companion Animal Recovery salute the brave search and rescue dogs and their handlers from the New York City Police Department K-9 unit that deployed with the New York Task Force One (NY-TF 1) for their work in the aftermath of the earthquake that shook Haiti on January 12th.
NY-TF 1 returned to New York City from Port Au Prince, Haiti on January 23rd after a more than week-long deployment assisting with earthquake recovery and relief efforts in the ravaged country.
We join New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg – who honored the team with certificates of recognition at City Hall today – in thanking them for their service. Over their deployment, the team members participated in several rescues, including freeing 10 and 8-year old siblings from the rubble.
New York Task Force One is comprised of active duty personnel from the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) and the New York City Police Department (NYPD). The New York City Office of Emergency Management (OEM) acts as the team's sponsoring agency. NY-TF1 specializes in urban search and rescue, disaster recovery, and emergency triage and medicine. Eighty members of New York Task Force One and approximately 20 tons of equipment were utilized in Haiti including the four search and rescue dogs and their handlers.
AKC CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund
The AKC and AKC CAR have a long history of supporting SAR teams. The AKC CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund, created in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, is a permanent charitable fund that regularly supports Search and Rescue teams. To learn more about the AKC CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund, visit https://www.akc.org/donations/index.cfm. The Fund provides resources, support, and other assistance to non-profit K-9 search-and-rescue organizations and nonprofit veterinary units that support such teams, and to nonprofit animal shelters and similar organizations caring for domestic animals orphaned or displaced by natural or civil disasters.
To date, the Fund has provided $3 million to date in disaster relief in response to hurricanes, floods and wildfires, search and rescue grants in response to 9/11, and grants for Canine Support and Relief.
The AKC CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund always in search of deserving organizations in need of assistance. For more information or to apply for a grant, visit http://www.akc.org/dogny/grants.cfm. Past grants have been awarded to the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, and more recently, the Northeast Mobile Search and Rescue Team of Clifton Park, New York and People and Paws Search and Rescue of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.