Pacific Crest Search Dogs is a non-profit charitable corporation organized to provide trained volunteer personnel and canine/handler teams for search and rescue missions requested by any official agency. In addition, it exists to provide educational programs to the public regarding search and rescue. Pacific Crest Search Dogs does not charge for its search and rescue services.

Pacific Crest Search Dogs was organized in Skamania County, Washington, in August 2004. It immediately began responding to emergency search and rescue operations in Washington and Oregon.  Pacific Crest Search Dogs will respond to other states if requested by appropriate officials. There are six handler/canine teams, with many senior members having extensive prior experience as search and rescue responders.  In addition to canine handling, the teams are trained in first aid and CPR, helicopter safety, blood borne pathogens, knowledge of crime scenes, lost person behavior, man-tracking, navigation, wilderness survival, and scent theory.

All canine/handler teams need to pass field certification tests. Tests have been established for wilderness air scent searches, tracking/trailing dog searches, cadaver/human remains detection, evidence and water searches. Pacific Crest Search Dogs presently has four canine/handler teams that are certified Operational Responders. They are;
  • Sharon Ward and Kunga (Air scent Wilderness and Human Remains Detection)
  • Karen Bagnall and Emmi (Air Scent Wilderness and Human Remains Detection)
  • Eileen Espe and Rika (Human Remains Detection) and Riley (Air Scent Wilderness)
  • Sandy Stuart, Ben (Rural Trailing) and Katie (Air Scent Wilderness)
Several additional canines are training for certification.
Members of our team are available for presentations to local groups and organizations.

Lost but Found Safe and Sound

This is a program for children and their parents. The program consists of a twelve minute video, demonstrations, and a question and answer session. The video tells about 7 year old Kelly who goes for a hike in the woods and becomes separated from her family.

It tells about the lifesaving lessons she had learned previously and explains how search and rescue teams are called into action. Kelly spent a night alone in the woods but the story does not end in tragedy.

Search Dog Programs

Meet our dogs and let us tell you how they work, and the kind of work they do.