AKC CAR Donates $8,000 to Support the K9 One Search and Rescue Team (MI)
Raleigh, NC (February 24, 2009) – AKC Companion Animal Recovery recently awarded an AKC CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund grant to the K9 One Search and Rescue Team from Flint, Michigan. K9 One is an all volunteer organization that does not charge for services to assist in the search for missing persons. The team serves the Lower Michigan area and Great Lakes region and includes eight mission-ready dogs with four more in training. The team provides search services in air scent, urban search and rescue, human remains detection, and trailing. One dog was deployed last year for Hurricanes Gustav, Hannah and Ike.
The $8,002 grant will allow the K9 One Search and Rescue Team to offer a training seminar locally for all members. With membership increasing it is cost-prohibitive to send members to training seminars individually and by holding a local seminar, it will allow all members to attend. The approved seminar will cover how to train a dog for search work and teach how to communicate effectively and partner with a dog. The grant will also allow the team to purchase all weather parkas that are “safety” yellow and marked with K-9 Search Team as well as a laptop computer and software to facilitate search management. This software allows the search team manager to easily determine search sectors from downloadable maps and work with GPS units to ensure areas are covered properly.
“The training that is approved will really help this team band together and will provide training techniques for those handling dogs as well as teach those not handling dogs how to support their canine teams.” said Tom Sharp, Vice President and CEO of AKC CAR. “Additionally the computer and software will enable this all volunteer team to cover search areas better so we are pleased to provide them with this grant.”
About the AKC CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund
The AKC CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund was established as a permanent charitable fund with the goals of providing resources, support, funds, and other assistance to not-for-profit canine search and rescue organizations and K-9 units; not-for-profit veterinary units providing support to the canine rescue teams; and not-for-profit animal shelters and similar not-for-profit organizations providing care for domestic animals orphaned or displaced as a result of natural or civil disasters.
For more information on the AKC CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund, visit www.akccar.org or call 1-800-252-7894.