From Search to Retirement: Investing in our Canine Heroes
Category 5 K9 is teaming up with Texas Task Force Foundation to support the retired canines of Texas A&M Task Force 1 (TX-TF1). TX-TF1 is one of the 28 federal teams under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s National Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) System and as a statewide USAR team under the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM). TX-TF1 includes 18 deployable canine teams that support the team's search and rescue missions across the state of Texas and the nation. These teams search after major disasters like hurricanes, tornados, floods, and structural collapse.
All TX-TF1 canines are handler-owned and trained. This means their handlers pay for food, supplements, and training equipment for their canine partners. When these dogs retire their handlers take on the cost of all veterinary care which may include therapies for injuries or medications for arthritis from past deployments. The Texas Task Force Foundation has contributed an initial $3500 to Category 5 K9 to start a program to cover the medical care of these retired canines.
Why is this program important to Category 5 K9?
Our search and rescue team is made up of certified TX-TF1 K9 teams that volunteer their time to support the community in non-disaster search capacities. They put in the effort to get wilderness certified along with their disaster certification and volunteer to help local public safety agencies in their efforts to find the lost and missing. These teams give back to the community and we are excited to be able to support them in their retirement.
Meet some of the dogs we will be supporting!
K9 Luna is 16yrs old and was one of the first USAR dogs trained in human remains detection to join Texas A&M Task Force 1. She retired in 2015 after a 6yr career. Luna responded to the mudslides in Oso, WA and the Wimberley floods. Today she enjoys playing with her four-legged siblings and keeping cool from the Texas heat.
K9 Rogue is 11yrs old and retired in 2021 after a 7yr career. He was certified for disaster by FEMA and wilderness air scent by IPWDA. Rogue deployed to support search operations for Hurricanes Harvey and Michael, Tropical Storm Barry, the Polk County and North Texas Tornados, and the Wimberley floods. He's enjoying his retirement now with his new two-legged sister and his four-legged siblings.
K9 Fetchit is 11yrs old and he retired in 2020. Over his career he was certified in human remains detection by FEMA, NNDDA, NAPWDA, and NASAR. Fetchit supported search operations after North Texas Tornados, the Camp Fire, and flash flooding in Junction, TX. He's been enjoying his retirement digging holes and taking naps at the farm as well as helping train the next generation of search dogs.
K9 Sophie is 12yrs old. She retired in 2020 after a 7yr career. She was certified by FEMA for USAR and IPWDA for wilderness air scent. Sophie deployed to support search operations after the North Texas Tornados and Hurricane Maria. Today Sophie enjoys supervising dinner prep, making friends with a cat, and the occasional backyard escape to visit the neighbors.
K9 Callie is 9yrs old and retired early in 2021 after a career ending injury. She was certified in human remains detection by both FEMA and IPWDA. Callie deployed to support search operations for the Wimberly Floods, Hurricane Harvey, Fort Hood flooding events, the Camp Fire, the Iconic Village Apartment Fire, and the Polk County Tornado. Today she enjoys her retirement by running around the ranch, going swimming, and yelling at her siblings.
K9 Gunny is 10yrs old. He retired earlier this year after serving on TX-TF1 for 6yrs. He responded to Hurricanes Harvey, Michael, Hanna and Marco; as well as the Polk County Tornado and Tropical Storms Sally and Beta. Gunny's favorite retirement activity is chasing lizards on the farm and taking over his handler's bed.
K9 Taser (aka Vintage Fully Charged and Ready to Deploy) is 11yrs old. He was certified by FEMA for USAR and IPWDA for wilderness air scent. Taser retired this year after serving on TX-TF1 for 9yrs. He supported search operations after Hurricanes Maria and Harvey, and Fort Hood flooding events. Today Taser enjoys swimming; yelling at his siblings when he doesn’t get to go to Task Force training; and stealing his dad’s spot on the bed.