Meet The Group

Status: Operational Wilderness, K-9 ALERT & Land Cadaver (HRD) K9 ALERT Treasurer.

Qualifications: STL, MTM, Dispatch, K-9 Evaluator

David joined K-9 Alert in 1991 and became a operational wilderness team, with his dog Boone, in 1993. Boone, who was a Malamute and Elk hound mix, enjoyed responding to many searches until his retirement in 1998.

In 2006 David rejoined the group and in January 2009 started training Ryka. She is a "career change" GSD from Leader Dogs for the Blind in Michigan and was donated, in kind, by Penny Jones and her New Vision Kennels in Milan MI. Ryka and David became operational, for Wilderness, March 2010 & Land HRD July 2013.

In 2017, made the leap and started training a second dog. Argo, from the Eichenluft Kennel, was born in July 2016 and started his SAR training in February 2017. He hopes to follow his working lineage and become operational in Live Find wilderness. His indication is a tug at handler and reward is vigorous tug play with anyone that will hold his toy.

Status: Wilderness Handler-in-Training, Vice President

Qualifications: STL, FTS, MTM

Lee and Max joined K-9 Alert in July, 2015. Max is an Australian Cattle Dog mix and an alumnus of the PenPals program. Lee has been involved with search and rescue since February 2011 as a member of Piedmont Search and Rescue. He is currently a software consultant in the Chesterfield County area and amateur radio operator KM4DCR.

Status: Wilderness Handler-in-Training

Qualifications: Former Wilderness and Water HRD handler

Matt joined K-9 Alert in 2002 and became operational in Wilderness and Water HRD with his dog Clio in 2004. Clio, who was a German Shepherd Dog, enjoyed responding to many searches until her retirement in 2010.

Matt rejoined the group in August of 2015 and started training Vega in November. Matt is amateur radio operator KI4JQU.

Status: Handler-In-Training, Trustee, Dispatcher

Qualifications: STL, Amateur Radio Operator KM4GBT

Mike originally joined K9 Alert in 1990 and was active until his dog, Buddy, retired.
After his own retirement from a career in computer networking, Mike rejoined K9 Alert in 2015. His current dog, Ruby, is a “career changed” Lab/Golden mix from Leader Dogs for the Blind in Michigan who was generously donated by her puppy raiser, Sara Bowe. Mike and Ruby are working toward Wilderness Live Find certification.

Status: Operational Wilderness Live

Qualifications: FTM

Pam and Ena joined K9 Alert in 2015 and became wilderness air scent certified in April 2017. Pam is a retired NASA engineer, resident of Hampton, and amateur ham radio operator KM4IMN. Ena is an energetic, food and ball loving, happy mixed breed rescue.

Status: Operational Land Cadaver (HRD), K-9 ALERT Secretary

Qualifications: FTM, EMT-B

Rachel and Zeke started training in 2012. Zeke is Rachael's second dog. Mik and Rachel were operational prior to 2012. They became operational in Humans Remains Detection in early 2016.

Meet The Team