Virginia Search and Rescue Dog Association
A member of the American Rescue Dog Association
Unit Capabilities
Index
VSRDA has team members and canines in a variety of specialties. We have air-scenting and trailing live find canines, as well as human remains detection canines specializing in both wilderness and water recovery. We also have team members who are members of Virginia Task Force 1 (VA-TF1), and have dogs who are certified US&R disaster canines.
How to Activate the Team
If you are concerned about a missing friend or family member, please contact your local law enforcement
agency. Depending on what resources are needed, they may opt to contact The Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM), which has the ability to deploy Virginia SAR teams. Please note that we cannot self-deploy.
Wilderness / Area Search
All members are trained to locate missing persons in the wilderness/area search setting. Live Find (LF) air-scenting dogs are used to locate non-specific human odor within a given search area. Since they do not rely on the subject's trail, they can search areas that have previously been covered by ground searchers. Air-scenting dogs are highly effective in the wilderness environment but are not well suited to populated urban areas. Since they work off-leash, it is also not ideal that they be deployed to areas adjacent to busy roadways.
Read more about air-scenting dogs, and how to utilize them in search management.
Human Remains Detection (HRD)
Human remains detection canines, also called cadaver dogs, are trained to locate human remains in a variety of environments. HRD canines are also considered a type of air-scenting canine, and in the wilderness environment, this resource can be deployed similarly to LF canines. Specific dog/handler teams are specially trained to assist with cold case work and select criminal matters.
Water Recovery
In 1979, VSRDA pioneered the use of canines for water recovery. This is a specialty in which unit members and their canines are trained to locate subjects who are either partially or totally submerged. VSRDA can respond to requests involving any body of water, including lakes, rivers, and seashores. VSRDA remains one of only a handful of water recovery capable teams in the United States. Specific team members and their canines are trained in this discipline. The team is fortunate to have a specially equipped boat to support training and missions in this unique and challenging environment.
Read more about water recovery dogs, and how to utilize them in search management.
Trailing
Unlike air-scenting dogs, trailing dogs are "scent specific," and use a scent article to locate and follow the trail of a specific individual. Trailing dogs are also far more effective in the urban environment than their air-scenting counterparts. Trailing dogs can be used on trails that are sometimes over 72 hours old, but require an uncontaminated scent article to operate. VSRDA is fortunate to have the first dog/handler trailing team to complete all the required state certifications in nearly 20 years.
More about coming soon!
Disaster / Urban
Specific dog/handler teams specialize in FEMA US&R and can be deployed on natural or man-made disasters. These members have received their training, and are certified by VA-TF1.