Loyal Companions 4-H Club recently demonstrated how the hands-on WSU 4-H Youth Development Program brings together multiple generations of people, who share common-interests, to strengthen their communities.

This past month the dog club’s tenth annual Dogs Walking 4 Dogs event made over $800 for the non-profit, volunteer-based King County Search Dogs organization, which is on-call 24-hour a day to support King County Sheriff’s Special Operations Unit at no cost to the county.

Incorporated in 1996, the King County Search Dogs organization conducts canine tracking/trailing, air scent and specialty searches to find and help people in distress and to aid law enforcement with evidence searches.

All KCSD handlers are volunteers who provide their own dogs, train several times a month, and pay all related expenses for feeding, veterinary care, travel, and purchase of needed equipment. KCSD assistance can even be requested for Washington State missions via the State Emergency Management Division.  To learn more about or help King County Search Dogs visit www.kcsearchdogs.org.

Loyal Companions 4-H Club and the King County Search Dogs group have developed a unique relationship where the 4-H kids have raised almost $15,000 since 2003 for the KCSD organization and the KCSD volunteers and dogs have become wonderful role models for the 4-H youth. Previously, KCSD purchase a boat they named “Loyal Companion” with some of the money the 4-H club raised to help conduct water searches.