Certifications

Handler and K-9 teams certify to nationally-recognized industry standards that are most relevant for the specific discipline(s).

For example:

• Disaster teams certify with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
• Trailing, cadaver, water, and area search teams certify with the International Police Work Dog Association (IPWDA).

Illinois Search Dogs Inc. is a not-for-profit, volunteer organization established in July, 2003. We are comprised of professionals from several counties in central and southern Illinois who volunteer their time and expertise.

Members have a mutual mission and passion to train and certify highly motivated Handler/K-9 teams for the purpose of assisting in the location of lost, buried, or drowned victims during emergencies, including natural and man made disasters. ISD provides trained handlers and K-9s in multiple disciplines to respond to a variety of public safety and service needs. For example, handler/K-9 teams that focus on the K-9 Search and Rescue (SAR) disciplines of Urban Search and Rescue train to meet the standards for FEMA Urban Search and Rescue disaster dogs. We also have several handler/K-9 teams trained and certified for wilderness area search, water recovery, land cadaver, and scent discrimination trailing as components of our Missing Person Response Team (MPRT). Two of our founding members are certified Canine Search Specialists with the Missouri Task Force (MO-TF1) Urban Search and Rescue team. Our third founding member has many years experience handling wilderness SAR K-9s.

 

Team Members' Calendar (login-id required)