Foster parents sought for future search dogs
by Lenny Roberts

Few things in life are as cuddly or adorable as a puppy. Make it a Labrador puppy, and the odds for adoption and a long, healthy and happy relationship between man and animal increase dramatically.
The Ojai-based National Disaster Search Dog Foundation is looking for foster parents for three such canines who, at 8 weeks old, have yet to be named.
"These are wonderful little puppies that we've accepted into our program," said Lori Mohr, NDSDF board member and volunteer. "The problem is, they need to grow first. We don't send them off to training until they're about a year old. Consequently, we are looking for short-term homes here in Ojai where these pups could grow and thrive. They are quality canines that would no doubt be a joy for many families."
NDSDF K-9 coordinator Miki Klocke explained that families are needed to adopt the puppies to provide a loving home environment while the dogs are in puppy school to qualify for extensive training at the Sundowners Training Kennel in Gilroy, Calif.
"Families who provide for short-term homes for the puppies have the responsibilities of providing a safe, indoor home and extensive socializing in and around Ojai," Klocke said.
"We want them to meet and greet people and dogs and be subject to environmental things, such as noises, grates in streets and metal bleachers - things that they can encounter as puppies that they might get into as disaster search dogs. The more things they encounter, the better they're prepared."
The responsibilities also include attending obedience classes with their foster dog. The NDSDF covers all pet care costs except food, which is provided by Nutro. Foster parents must agree to house their dog for approximately six months, and have first option of permanent adoption in the event a dog is not properly suited to become certified. Klocke added that a strict application process and in-home and yard inspections are mandatory before foster parents can be considered. Kids and other animals are welcome, and may actually help the student puppies become more readily acclimated to early training.
Thacher Road resident Wilma Melville began the NDSDF after she and her dog, Murphy Black, participated in the grisly task of uncovering bodies from the rubble that once was the Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Since then, dogs that have been certified through the program have been deployed to many sites, including the Sept. 11 World Trade Center catastrophe.
The three pups in need of foster homes were a donation from Guide Dogs of America, and born at its Sylmar national headquarters in late February. The nonprofit organization primarily provides guide dogs and instructions to blind and visually impaired men and women in the United States and Canada, but has provided 15 potential search dog candidates to the NDSDF in the last few years. According to Klocke, all but two of the candidates provided by GDA are either still in training or have been certified as advanced or basic search dogs.
By the time a dog is fully certified, the NDSDF has made an $8,000 investment, generated through fund-raising activities and donations. Certified dogs are provided to California firefighters and others at no cost.
To apply to become a NDSDF foster parent or to make a donation, call 646-1015. To learn more about or to contribute to the NDSDF, visit ndsdf.org.

© 2002 The Ojai Valley News

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