K9 Emergency Response Team (K9 ERT) responds with Teller County Search and Rescue when search missions warrant a dog team. Working as directed by incident command for each mission, dog teams may be used to search for a subject or to clear an area where a subject has not been, thus freeing up resources to search elsewhere. Our dogs are trained as ‘scent discriminating’ meaning they are provided a specific scent and know to just search for that odor. We also are training equine / canine teams, where the canine handler is mounted on horseback. This facilitates the search in a variety of terrain. K9 ERT members have trained extensively with Teller County Search and Rescue members to ensure mission effectiveness .
A second facet of the team mission is canine therapy work. Canine / Handler teams visit facilities such as nursing homes, schools, and as needed even evacuation shelters to interact with people. Dogs offer a calming influence, helping relax people under stressful situations, offering a needed respite with a friendly companion, and even enhance learning environments .