Rhett Mauck, the CEO of National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, recently spoke to the Lions Club of Carpinteria about his organization.
The National Disaster Search Dog Foundation is headquartered in Santa Paula, and was formed in 1995 by Wilma Melville after she brought her dog to Oklahoma City to help find victims still trapped after the bombing of a federal building. During that time, Melville noticed there were no coordinated efforts or standard search procedures between the different dog handlers.
Now, the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation’s services are provided globally. The group does not receive government funding, relying mostly on private donations. The organization trains 40 to 50 dogs a year, but about 60% do not finish the program…