Minnesota Search and Rescue Dog Association (MinnSARDA)

Home
United States
Wayzata, MN
Minnesota Search and Rescue Dog Association (MinnSARDA)

MinnSARDA is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization. In some cases, MinnSARDA may be available for out of state missions.

Our goal is to provide trained dog/handler teams to assist public safety agencies in the event of a missing person. The unit provides specially trained dog/handler teams to assist public safety agencies in lost person searches, and homicide investigations. All services are offered free of cost to requesting agencies.

05/29/2026

Now that our yearly certifications are done, it’s back to our regularly scheduled training ✨

JUNE VOLUNTEER HIDER REQUEST 🐾

Each training is always from 9-1ish and you’re basically required to show up in weather appropriate clothing, bring a book or headphones (or a friend or two) and just hang out in a location until one (occasionally two) of our trailing teams finds you. We can use 2-6 hiders per training day

Note: We do require hiders to be 18+ or accompanied by a guardian

Let us know if you can come out and the volunteer coordinator will reach out with specific locations!

6/6 - Anoka
6/13 - Burnsville
6/20 - Saint Paul

Feel free to comment or DM with any questions you might have or to sign up! If you can’t hide, please share. We look forward to finding you 🐾

05/26/2026

Lots of thanks are to be had as MinnSARDA finishes hosting a L.E.T. S. 40 hr HRD AND 40 hr Trailing Workshop + Certifications!

Major thank you to L.E.T.S. Instructors Gabby, Tim, and Marcia Becker for joining MinnSARDA for a long week of trailing and HRD. Lots of knowledge was shared, steps taken, and lessons learned!

Thank you to the 14 people who shared their time with us to hide for the trailing teams! Your support and willingness to assist us in training and certifications always helps makes us a better team 🐾

And thank you to Heather Wisner + Rey, Karyn + Selah, Jodi Silvernail + Quigley, and Cameron Abbey + Sonic who showed up to participate in these workshops and share your knowledge and experience in SAR and dogs with us. Let’s continue to build a stronger network of SAR teams across the Midwest 💪

And lastly, thank you to our dogs who were the ones who actually put in the hard work this week! We all deserve a little R&R now 😴

05/19/2026

Still looking for some track-layer volunteers on Friday! Please reach out if available! 🐾

05/03/2026

CERTIFICATION HIDER REQUEST 🐾

May is an important time of the year for MinnSARDA to certify/re-certify our live find teams.

There are two hider shifts a day: AM shift is 8:30-12:30 and PM shift is 12:30-4:30ish. Same as usual training, you’re required to show up in weather appropriate clothing, bring a book or headphones and just hang out in a location until our trailing teams finds you. We need 3-4 hiders per shift!

Note: We do require hiders to be 18+ or accompanied by a guardian and have the ability to drive in case we move locations

Let us know if you can come out and the volunteer coordinator will reach out with specific locations!

May 21 AM - Long Lake
May 21 PM - Long Lake
May 22 AM - Wayzata
May 22 PM - Wayzata
May 23 AM - Wayzata
May 23 PM - Wayzata
May 24 AM - Long Lake
May 24 PM - Long Lake
May 25 AM - Plymouth - FULL

Feel free to comment or DM with any questions you might have or to sign up! If you can’t hide, please share. We look forward to finding you 🐾

04/03/2026

MAY + CERTIFICATION SAR VOLUNTEER REQUEST 🐾

May is the time of the year for MinnSARDA to certify/re-certify teams. Beyond our regular Saturday trainings, we will have some extra days that we will need hiders in both AM & PM. Below are the May training dates with the general location of where we will be in ✨

USUAL TRAINING: Each training is always from 9-1ish and you’re basically required to show up in weather appropriate clothing, bring a book or headphones (or a friend or two) and just hang out in a location until one (occasionally two) of our trailing teams finds you. We can use 2-6 hiders a day!

CERTIFICATIONS: There are two training shifts a day: AM shift is 8-12 and PM shift is 12-4. Same as usual training, you’re required to show up in weather appropriate clothing, bring a book or headphones and just hang out in a location until our trailing teams finds you. We need 3-4 hiders per shift!

Note: We do require hiders to be 18+ or accompanied by a guardian

Let us know if you can come out and the volunteer coordinator will reach out with specific locations!
*denotes CERTIFICATION date and we will have an AM and a PM shift

5/2 - Wayzata
5/9 - TBD - FULL
5/16 - Bloomington
May 21* - Wayzata area
May 22* - Wayzata area
May 23* - Wayzata area
May 24* - Wayzata area
May 25* - Wayzata area (AM only)

Feel free to comment or DM with any questions you might have or to sign up! If you can’t hide, please share. We look forward to finding you 🐾

03/29/2026

APRIL SAR VOLUNTEER REQUEST 🐾

Interested in SAR and watching working dogs work? Come hide for us on a Saturday morning! Each training is always from 9-1ish and you’re basically required to show up in weather appropriate clothing, bring a book or headphones (or a friend or two) and just hang out in a location until one (occasionally two) of our trailing teams finds you. We can use 2-6 hiders a day!

Note: We do require hiders to be 18+ or accompanied by a guardian

4/4 - Arden Hills
4/11 - Cambridge - FULL
4/18 - Eden Prairie

Feel free to comment or DM with any questions you might have or to sign up! If you can’t hide, please share. We look forward to finding you 🐾

03/14/2026

Several MinnSARDA team members just wrapped up multiple days of intensive training, earning their Wilderness First Aid, CPR, and SARTECH II certifications.

These skills are critical to keeping both our teams and the people we search for safe in challenging environments. Training never stops.

A huge thank you to Strategic Self Reliance for making the trek up to the frozen tundra to train with us — and sneaking out just ahead of a classic Minnesota spring blizzard! Safe travels back to Tennessee.

02/23/2026

MARCH SAR VOLUNTEER REQUEST 🐾

Interested in SAR and watching working dogs work? Come hide for us on a Saturday morning! Each training is always from 9-1ish and you’re basically required to show up in weather appropriate clothing, bring a book or headphones (or a friend or two) and just hang out in a location until one (occasionally two) of our trailing teams finds you. We can use 2-6 hiders a day!

Note: We do require hiders to be 18+ or accompanied by a guardian

3/7 - Lakeville
3/21 - Burnsville

Feel free to comment or DM with any questions you might have or to sign up! If you can’t hide, please share. We look forward to finding you 🐾

01/02/2026

HELLO 2026 ✨

Did you know that in 2025, we had roughly FORTY of you, volunteer to hide for us?! Thank you to everyone who dedicated their time last year and helped us train our live find dogs. YOU help us be a stronger team and we can’t wait to come find you (and new faces) again in 2026! Below is the JANUARY + FEBRUARY SAR VOLUNTEER REQUEST 🐾

Interested in SAR and watching working dogs work? Come hide for us on a Saturday morning! Each training is always from 9-1ish and you’re basically required to show up in weather appropriate clothing, bring a book or headphones (or a friend or two) and just hang out in a location until one (occasionally two) of our trailing teams finds you. We can use 2-6 hiders a day!

Note: We do require hiders to be 18+ or accompanied by a guardian

1/3 - Wayzata
1/10 - Maplewood
1/17 - Lakeville
1/24 - Brooklyn Park
2/7 - Long Lake
2/14 - Saint Paul
2/21 - Rosemount

Feel free to comment or DM with any questions you might have or to sign up! If you can’t hide, please share. We look forward to finding you 🐾

10/26/2025

LAST CALL FOR 2025!!
NOVEMBER & DECEMBER SAR VOLUNTEER REQUEST 🐾

Interested in SAR and watching working dogs work? Come hide for us on a Saturday morning! Each training is always from 9-1ish and you’re basically required to show up in weather appropriate clothing, bring a book or headphones (or a friend or two) and just hang out in a location until one (occasionally two) of our trailing teams finds you. We can use 2-6 hiders a day!

Note: We do require hiders to be 18+ or accompanied by a guardian

11/8 - South Saint Paul
11/15 - Wayzata
11/22 - Shakopee
12/6 - Oak Grove
12/14 - Arden Hills*
12/20 - Plymouth

*this training is on a Sunday and from 1-5ish

Feel free to comment or DM with any questions you might have or to sign up! If you can’t hide, please share. We look forward to finding you 🐾

Address

Wayzata, MN

Telephone

+17634271212

Website

http://www.MinnSARDA.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Minnesota Search and Rescue Dog Association (MinnSARDA) posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Minnesota Search and Rescue Dog Association (MinnSARDA):

Shortcuts

Want your organization to be the top-listed Non Profit Organization in Wayzata?