Members of the Mid-South Search & Rescue Dog Association (MSSARDA), a North Mississippi-based non-profit organization, earned additional certifications with their canine partners during evaluations held at Crossville, Tennessee, in June.
Billy Miller of Corinth and his search and rescue (SAR) K9 partner, Gus; and Lisa Hiatt of Ashland and her K9, Ember, were both tasked with following a subject’s trail that was more than one mile long over varied terrain with multiple turns, and which had been aged for four hours. Each trail’s starting point was unknown to the handler, and had to be located and identified by the team.
The test was administered by a lead evaluator qualified by the National Association for Search & Rescue (NASAR), and each team was evaluated on a different date, successfully achieving NASAR certification at the Canine SARTECH Level III in Trailing.
Hiatt and K9 Ember also hold a current mantrailing certification awarded by the International Police Work Dog Association.
Miller and K9 Gus also hold a trailing certification conferred earlier this year by the American Working Dog Association as the result of field testing.
To learn more, or to volunteer to assist MSSARDA as a helper at local field training opportunities, contact Training Director Judy Otto at 662-252-1004.
Read the article published in the South Reporter (pdf).