Our Mission
Category 5 K9 provides resources to assist the canine search and rescue community in its quest to bring lost and missing people home. We provide educational opportunities for handlers, canines, and those who support them. We work to find canines in shelters, rescues, or requiring rehome that have the potential to become search dogs. We give those canines the opportunity to reach their potential and serve the community. We provide professional response resources to local Public Safety Agencies to aid in the search for lost and missing people.
Our History
Category 5 K9 was founded in 2019 by three dedicated handlers from Texas A&M Task Force 1 who shared a common vision: to continue providing vital volunteer search and rescue (SAR) resources to public safety agencies while also supporting fellow handlers in finding shelter dogs with the potential for search work. Recognizing the challenge of evaluating rescue and shelter dogs for the potential for search work, they established this nonprofit organization as a way to channel their passion and expertise into meaningful action.
Operating as a small, all-volunteer organization, Category 5 K9 is driven by a commitment to help as many rescue dogs as possible while supporting the working and retired canines of TX-TF. The organization focuses on building relationships with dog rescues and working dog programs across the country, advocating for the inclusion of rescue dogs into their training programs.
Through collaboration and dedication, Category 5 K9 aims to create a network that not only enhances the capabilities of SAR operations but also transforms the lives of dogs in need, ensuring that they find purpose and companionship in their roles as search canines.
