07/24/2025
Thank you all for the wonderful tributes and outpouring of love for K9 Roxy. Please know Chuck, his family, and our entire team appreciate all the love you have sent. Her story has went far and wide, and she continues to touch lives and faithfully represent not only our team, but working dogs everywhere.
If you haven't read our update in other posts, please be assured her passing was totally unrelated to her working in Texas. She did not inhale, drink, or eat anything toxic, and she was not worked too hard in the heat or become too exhauster before her procedure.
We also want to take a moment to address some of the other comments we have seen elsewhere and help educate about our K9 partners.
Yes, some rescue/recovery dogs work long hours. Yes, some of them do get depressed if they do not get enough "finds". However, every trainer on our team and all the teams we are fortunate enough to work with LOVE their dogs and know their dogs very well. They will not compromise the health and safety of the partner. In the search for individuals thought to still be alive, time can be of an essence. In recovery, unfortunately the pressure is more to provide closure for the family. But in neither case will a K9 be pushed beyond their capability. These dogs are all extreme athletes who do what they do because they love the work.
Handlers are also in-tune with their partner and recognize signs of depression. If that occurs there are games setup to allow the dog to get some "wins", which typically will help brighten their spirits. Usually a simple period of tug-of-war or fetch with other members of the team is sufficient.
Search dogs are typically trained NOT to drink water or eat anything in a search area. They are provided fresh clean water and a proper meal with plenty of treats.
Dogs typically do not suffer the same health issues as human handlers in disaster situations. For instance, of all the dogs who worked the rubble pile in 9/11, none of them experienced any long-term health issues or increased mortality. Hence why you won't see a K9 wearing protective gear typically. As far as boots go, those can be both a blessing and a danger. Dogs need their articulated toes to properly grip when working in unsteady terrain. While boots can protect the paw pads, they do so at a compromise to stability and traction. A dog climbing around on tree limbs and brush piles can sometimes be at a greater risk of injury from a fall into the rubble than the danger to a cut paw. Each situation is unique and the handler will choose what is best for their individual dog. If a dog does get an injured paw, our team has trained and equipped staff to quickly get them fixed. If the paw is injured too badly, the dog is sent home to heal.
A properly trained cadaver K9 will also NOT indicate for animal remains. They are trained to indicate only on human factors. They cannot tell us how much is there, but when they indicate there is something human in that pile. Unfortunately with floods that something may not be of sufficient size for us to find.
Hopefully the above can help provide some answers for not only Roxy, but any K9 you see working. There were dozens of great teams in Texas and every reputable team all follow the same guidelines.
Roxy had a great career. She conducted searches in multiple states in hurricanes, floods, tornados, and individual lost persons. She slept with our team, ate with our team, and played with us in her down time.
Attached is some of the wonderful art we have been sent over the past couple days. The rainbow bridge picture was especially heart-wrenching, but highly appreciated.
