About Us
Our Story
Ron and Liz Edwards founded SAR K9 CO-OP, INC in 2012 alongside their canine, Rock. What began with just a few handlers and dogs has grown steadily into a dedicated organization developing skilled teams of people and canines.
SAR K9 Co-Op proudly supports a diverse volunteer community of K9/handler teams, ground support personnel, and communications specialists. Group training takes place twice a week, with certification practice and training assignments continuing daily at home.
Through continuing education, training, and testing, each team earns national certification — with pathways to advanced certifications and exposure to the latest techniques, theories, and technologies. All members are fully background-checked, and every K9 team conducts itself with the utmost professionalism during searches and community engagements.
Supporting Our Mission
In addition to generously donating their time, each handler shoulders the costs for training, certifications, equipment, and search travel. These costs can be prohibitive and overwhelming — which is why we rely on community and private financial support to continue making our services, education programs, and SAR training available.
Our Team
Our members are all volunteers who bring diverse professional backgrounds, including:
- Current & Retired Military
- EMTs
- Firefighters
- Teachers
- Health & Safety Instructors
- Nurses
- Law Enforcement
- Computer Technology
The team meets twice a week, and all members are required to achieve SAR Tech II certification.