North Country Search Dogs

10/05/2026

After a night of searching for a missing gentleman, we were enormously relieved when he was found this morning, cold but alive. He popped out of the woods onto a road and was recognized by a member of the local community who had received the missing person Emergency Alert.

As he was found, a small army of searchers had assembled for day two and were in the process of deploying to their search areas. Everyone gratefully returned to the local fire department where tables groaned with food, donated by locals. Cavendish has an amazing community that quickly rallies in times of crisis. We’ve benefited from their support on a previous search and were once again blown away by their organization and hospitality. Having food and hydration provided is like pouring fuel into the search engine. It makes for happy searchers, particularly when the four-legged searchers have their own section of the table dedicated to dog treats! So precious! Thank you to the local businesses and individuals who contributed.

Cavendish Vermont
Cavendish Volunteer Fire Department

09/17/2026

We recently completed three more days of searching in an attempt to bring resolution to a mission person case that has dominated our Summer. When we’re not searching, we’re wondering. It is hard to let go when a subject isn’t found. We’re at the disposal of the Search Managers and are ready to return to the field as and when any new leads come in.

08/23/2026

We’re very grateful to Stowe Mountain Resort for allowing our trainee Search Dogs the valuable experience of riding the Gondola. Riding the Gondola involves stepping into a moving confined space with mechanical noise and that slight sense of urgency before the doors close. All good things for our dogs to roll with, particularly since they could be delivered to search areas by various means of transport that would be challenging to an untrained dog. Search Dogs need to be resilient, robust and unflappable so we make an effort to expose them to gently challenging situations to build those specific traits. Who knows, our team could one day be called to Mt Mansfield and delivered to a search by Gondola. We’ll be ready.

08/21/2026

Here is Dylan, one of our trainee dogs, learning how to search in and around buildings. We had a volunteer hiding in a storage unit, which was a surprise for Dylan and a new experience for her. (Fun fact: we once searched for a subject who ended up being located in her own storage unit, thankfully alive and unharmed.) Our dogs need to be ready for all environments, which is a factor that we try to reflect in our trainings. We are very grateful to the storage facility for hosting this training and allowing us to use their empty unit.

08/10/2026

North Country Search Dogs has received a moving donation from a generous woman who decided to pay a special tribute to her friends’ dog who recently passed. As handlers who go through thick and thin with our dogs, we understand how profound that connection can be. Maple was a loyal companion to Greg and Andrea. She loved to keep Greg company in the woods while he tapped for sugar. She would plant herself in the brook, letting the water pour over her. She was an avid fan of the Frisbee and kept playing until the end. Their pain at losing Maple is immense but we will turn her donation into a meaningful tribute by putting it to good use. Ours is a volunteer team - we work and train long hours for nothing other than the satisfaction of human/K9 searching. Receiving a contribution towards the running costs of the team is not only touching but incredibly valuable to us. So Maple, rest in peace with the knowledge that you were loved and cherished - and know that your K9 counterparts will keep up the good work on our team.

07/28/2026

Our most recent search was for a missing man in the Colchester area. We worked alongside Colchester PD, Game Wardens from Fish and Wildlife, Colchester Technical Rescue and the Vermont State Police. After just a few hours of searching he was unfortunately discovered deceased by Law Enforcement ground searchers. Our hearts go out to his family – such a tragic outcome, but at least there’s some closure for his loved ones. We commend the Search Managers for an efficient operation that led to such a quick resolution.

07/11/2026

This morning we were able to bring resolution to a search for a missing man. After a full night of searching, we were packing up to go and grab a few hours of sleep, fully expecting to be redeployed later in the day. Our team was driving in convoy away from the gentleman’s house when we spotted him on a road – tired and confused but otherwise very much OK, considering his long night. It was pure joy to be able to deliver him back to his distraught family.

For families looking after a person with memory issues, there is a slew of wearable technology that can prevent losing track of them when they wander. Many families endure the shock of the first time that they get lost, which can be the precipitating event that brings these devices into play. It is such an upsetting situation, and we cherish being part of the solution, together with our colleagues in the Search And Rescue community.

06/30/2026

We’re wrapping up a busy June, with 10 search activations in the last month. Yesterday’s was a merciful stand-down, when the subject was located before our team arrived. The temperature was high enough that we would have been watching our dogs closely for heat stress, so it was a relief to turn around.

One of the most powerful tools in VSP’s search tool box is the ‘Reverse 911’ function, where details of the missing subject are disseminated to the local community with a simple automated phone call. Yesterday, a neighbor spotted the missing person in his back yard and instantly knew what he was looking at. He called it in to the Police, and the search was terminated. It takes a village to locate a missing person and sometimes it’s the villager who makes the find!

NEWS RELEASE UPDATE: Missing Sheldon woman located safe

SHELDON, Vermont (3:25 p.m. Monday, June 29, 2026) — Jeanne Couture-Harrod has been located safely on a nearby property.

The Vermont State Police thanks the U.S. Border Patrol, Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Grand Isle Sheriff's Department and the Swanton Police Department for their assistance in the search.
***Initial news release, 1:05 p.m. Monday, June 29, 2026***
The Vermont State Police is searching for a missing vulnerable adult in the Franklin County town of Sheldon. Jeanne Couture-Harrod, 75, was reported missing from her home at 337 Rice Hill Rd. at about 11:40 a.m. Monday, June 29, 2026. Couture-Harrod, who has dementia, is believed to be on foot in the woods.

Couture-Harrod is 5 feet tall, weighs about 130 pounds, and has blue eyes and brown shoulder-length hair. She was last seen wearing blue Nike pants, a white and gray 3/4 length shirt, and one black and one gray Sketchers slip-on shoes. Photographs of Couture-Harrod are attached to this release.

This disappearance is not considered suspicious, but there are concerns for her welfare. Multiple first-response agencies and state police special teams are assisting in the search. Anyone who sees Couture-Harrod is asked to call VSP’s St. Albans Barracks at 802-524-5993.

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06/13/2026

Our dogs have been busy, with multiple activations this week. We spent two days searching for a missing man in St Albans, which is a work in progress. The weather conditions were a little challenging, but we were strategic with our search assignments, resting and hydrating our dogs frequently and encouraging them into water whenever possible – and then stopping when the heat got too much. At the end of the day the wellbeing of our dogs is our top priority.

Today we were called out for a missing man who was found by his family before the search truly got underway. Mookie was fielded for about one minute of searching – only because the subject happened to live in her hometown so she was first paws on the ground. She was a little disappointed when the leash went back on so quickly. But it’s always a good day when a subject gets found.

We’re grateful for our relationship with the Vermont State Police and are happy to be of assistance to them - and to families whose loved ones go missing.

06/12/2026

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