South Carolina Search Dogs, Inc. is a non-profit all volunteer organization based in Charleston, SC. South Carolina Search Dogs provides highly trained handler/search dog teams and support personnel to assist in the search of missing persons. Formed in 2001 in response to a community need, South Carolina Search Dogs incorporated and became a non-profit organization in 2004. South Carolina Search Dogs is a member in the Low Country Rural Search and Rescue Team, and credentialed by Charleston County Emergency Preparedness Division.
Team Members
The membership comes from all professions and occupations, bound by the dedication of helping to save the lives of others. South Carolina Search Dogs members have gone through extensive training, to include CPR & First Aid, search strategies and techniques, land navigation, radio operations, man-tracking skills, incident command system and are NIMS compliant. Training is an ongoing commitment, physically demanding, and carried out in all types of weather,on all types of terrain, both day and night.
Members are encouraged to become a member of NASAR and required to attain a certification level of NASAR SARTECH III or it’s equivalent, as a minimum.
Attention: All Public Safety Agencies
If you wish to learn more about search and rescue dogs and how they can potentially help your agency, click here.
If you would like South Carolina Search Dogs to give a demonstration or want more information about our team, please contact us through the above non-emergency contact information.
1. Trailing Dogs that are trained to follow the trail or route taken by a specific individual, these dogs are scent specific. These dogs
are scent specific, meaning they only follow the trail of the person they are given a scent article from.
2. Air Scent Dogs that are trained to scan air currents in a given area for human scent. The dog follows the scent to the lost victim
and then leads the handler back to the victim.These dog may be scent specific or non-scent specific.
3. Cadaver or Human Remains Detection Dogs are trained to find human remains. They can be deployed at any time from a
few days to many years after the individual has gone missing. These dogs can be effective in assisting law enforcement
in finding victims or clearing suspect areas. Cadaver dogs help bring closure to families and friends in the midst of tragic
circumstances.
4. Water cadaver dogs can be utilized to assist divers in locating a drowned victim. They can be worked from a boat or along the
edge of the water. These dogs help minimize the search area by locating where a submerged human's scent is drifting to the
surface of the water.
All of our dogs are required to obtain the AKC Canine Good Citizen before they begin their training for SAR work. In addition, our dogs are trained in advanced obedience.
South Carolina Search Dogs, Inc. is a non-profit organization dependent upon financial support from private and public contributions and fundraising. Members are expected to pay their own expenses for training, equipment, transportation to searches and upkeep of their dog.
As a non-profit organization, all services of South Carolina Search Dogs, Inc. are free.
Thank you for your interest in our organization. We hope you never need our help, but if you do, know that we are ready and willing, 24/7.
Mission Statement
To provide, as a benefit to the public, specially trained search teams of canines, handlers and support personnel for the search of victims who are lost, missing, trapped, or incapacitated, upon the request of any official agency, day or night, under any and all conditions where they can effectively operate within the state of South Carolina and surrounding areas, except in the apprehension of criminals.
To provide continuous training and education for canines, handlers, and support personnel to improve and develop their capabilities to insure competent and capable search teams and operations.
To promote greater public knowledge, interest and use of the working dog.
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