ABOUT CENTRAL LAKES SEARCH AND RESCUE

CLSAR was started by Carla Leehy and Pat Schultz in 1998, and mentored into being by Jim Couch's unit "STAR Dogs".  Although STAR Dogs is no longer around, CLSAR is still grateful for their help getting us started, asking for so much from our unit in its infancy that as a maturing unit now, we have systems in place to keep us functioning as a solid non profit organization in the state of Minnesota.

We are governed by a Board of Directors that includes officers from the unit along with Dr. Patrick Hurley, a Doctor of Orthopedics, and John Riley, a retired Search Manager from Scotland.  Our organization has established By-laws and Standards which are available upon request.

As an all volunteer unit, we rely on members that can dedicate their time and resources to the training required to be a professional resource.  We also relish having volunteers willing to hide for our dogs, run trails, or just offer the use of their land for us to train on.  Even if you can't join, you can be of great assistance to us by being our volunteers. 

ABOUT SEARCH DOGS

K-9's used for SAR need to have the physical ability and innate drive to do the work.  Due to the wilderness areas common to Minnesota searches, we recommend using a dog of working, sporting or herding breed types, although purebred dogs are not required.

Most SAR dogs are the dogs no one wants to live with because they are energetic, always in trouble, and as young dogs don't seem to have a lot of self control.  But those very qualities are what make them able to handle the long hours, the rough searches, the disappointments and still have the drive to go again if asked.  It is just focusing that energy, that intelligence, that drive toward a specific goal.

It takes approximately 18 to 24 months to become mission ready with a K-9, although most of this time is actually training the human, not the dog.  They work scent naturally.  Training is for the life of the dog, so handlers have to plan to spend years working with their dog. 

ABOUT SEARCH AND RESCUE

Search is an emergency, no matter who is missing.  When that call comes in, resources should be dispatched, even if it is unknown if they will be needed.  As a K-9 SAR unit, we would rather be called in and sent home, then called in for the recovery days later.  And we train for all conditions, including night searches.  In fact, night air is actually more conducive for K-9 searchers as the air is cooler and moister which refreshes scent available for the dogs.

What we remind our members all the time - we are searchers first, handlers second.  Not every search needs all types of K-9 search disciplines, so everyone needs to be able to fill whatever role is needed at a search.  This means lots of field skills training without our dogs, base and incident command training, plus first aid for both humans and K-9's.

Consider joining a local SAR team, or volunteering to hide for them, or donating to their units. Most units, like CLSAR, are non-profits and rely solely on private and corporate donations to enable them to continue to respond to searches.  It takes an average of $3,000.00 a year for most members to participate in SAR.  This is money from their own family budgets.  By supporting a unit, you can help defray those expenses for them, and in doing so, help other families in need.

Send mail to owner@centrallakessar.org with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: 02/04/12