Meet The Team

Retired K9 Otis Resting Search Operation

We truly believe that we work with some of the most special canines and people around. Everyone on our team puts in countless hours to be ready when needed. We all place a high value on serving others, and have dedicated our lives to trying to make this world a safer and better place. When we are not training, you will find all of our members serving elsewhere in the community. We feel blessed to live in the inland northwest, and we feel fortunate to work with these amazing canines. Not a day goes by that we are not amazed at what these dogs are capable of. They continue to push bounds and improve every day. Thank you for your support.

Our K9s

  • Canine Bear USAR

    Bear

    K9 Bear is a Black Labrador that was born February 2018

    Handler: Bridget
    Favorite Activities: Playing Fetch, walks with his handler Bridget and searching.
    Favorite treat: Turkey
    Favorite toy: “The Ball” and Antlers

    Random Facts:

    Bear likes to sleep on his back.
    Bear is known for being the most calm lab on the team… but when it’s time to work then it’s go time.

  • Canine Tamarack USAR

    Tamarack

    Tamarack is an energetic, smart, fun-loving dog.  He was born on Oct. 19, 2019.  He is strong, fast, and loves being active.  His favorite activities include attending dog-team training (all play to him), playing fetch, and his very favorite is swimming. 

    He is currently in-training to become a certified human recovery dog.  His handler is Scott Dietrich.  Scott is the Fire Chief of Shoshone County Fire District #2

  • Canine Lady USAR

    Lady

    Meet Lady! She’s one of 2 girls on the dog team that loves to keep up with the rest of the boys. Her favorite thing to do in training is searching so she can play tug o' war. 

    Lady loves all humans and really is a man’s best friend. She’s very driven by food! Lady’s favorite treat is bacon. When she is not working hard, Lady loves to go on walks with her family and explore the outdoors. 

    Things Lady loves:

    Popcorn, Walks, Playing fetch, Licking people's hands, Chasing lasers and shadows

    Lady’s Personality Traits:

    Very loving, Goofy and High energy 

  • Canine Murphy USAR

    Murphy

    Murphy is a Yellow Labrador that was born at the end of 2013. Murphy has been a member of Idaho Disaster Dogs since he was 7 weeks old. He successfully passed the rigorous certification process when he was two years old. Murphy is a certified member of Idaho Task Force 1 and FEMA Washington Task Force 1. Murphy is one of the three senior members of the team. He is a litter mate with K9 Duke, and is closely related with K9 Tamarack as well.

    Handler: Cody Moore
    Favorite Activities: Searching, Agility and Hiking
    Favorite treat: Ham
    Favorite toy: Duck tug toy
    Breeder: Born to Hunt Labradors

    Random Facts:

    Murphy has become known as the dog who was born without an off switch. He is a busy body.

    After each successful certification exercise, murphy has earned a cheeseburger as a special reward.

    Murphy is also known to talk a lot when he gets excited. He does not bark, but he loves to whimper with excitement.

  • Canine Scout USAR

    Scout

    Scout was born in 2013 and is the oldest dog on the team. Although he may be the oldest, he sure doesn’t act like it. He continuously challenges the younger dogs to try and keep up with him. Scout has been a member of the Idaho Disaster Dogs for practically his whole life! He is also a member of FEMA Washington Task Force 1. In September of 2020, Scout was deployed to Oregon to assist with the search efforts at the Holiday Farm Fire. He loves going to work with his handler, Chad, and hanging out with the firefighters at the station. 

    Handler: Chad Matchell
    Favorite Treat: Strawberries
    Favorite Toy: Rubber Piggy

    Favorite Things: 

    Playing hide and seek with mom and dad at home.
    Going to work with dad at the Fire Station.
    Sleeping as much as possible!

    Random Facts:

    Scout has flown on planes all over the United States! He has been to Seattle, Phoenix, and even Miami on training missions with Chad.

    Scout hates bugs! If there is a bug flying around him, he will snap at it and try to eat it… even if it is a “spicy” fly (wasp)!

    Scout has a massive smile! He smiles whenever his parents get home from work, first thing in the morning when he wakes up, and smiles even bigger when he knows he’s been naughty. He also loves to cuddle and is convinced that he is a lap dog!

  • Canine Duke USAR

    Duke

    Duke has been with the team sine he was 7 weeks old. He was born at the end of 2013. He is also one of the three senior members of the team. He is part of our team and is also one of our canines that participates with FEMA Wa-TF1. Duke loves search and rescue work. In his off time he enjoys living his family out in the country. Duke and Murphy were litter mates and grew up working on this team together.

    Handler: Scott Robinson

    Favorite Activities: Searching, Agility, Bon Fires and being in the woods.

    Favorite Treat: Peanut Butter Pretzels

    Favorite Toy: Stuffed Animals

    Breeder: Born to Hunt Labradors

    Random Facts:

    Duke is country through and through. He also has an extra deep bark. This tied together has earned him the nickname, “The Sam Elliot of Dogs”.

  • Chocolate Lab - Search and Rescue

    Eagle

    Eagle is a Chocolate Labrador. She is sponsored by the CDA Eagles. Eagle has been on the team since she was 8 weeks old. She has been a fantastic addition and is learning really fast. She is in training to become a recovery K9. Thus far she has impressed us every step of the way.

    Morgan Zajicek is K9 Eagle’s Handler. They are a great team and working well togeher. We are excited to see what they accomplish.

Our Team

  • Aprill Sherman, DVM

    Dr. Sherman has been the team veterinarian with the Idaho Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue Canine Unit since 2017. She is the practice owner at Rathdrum Animal Clinic where she has been working with dogs, cats and pocket pet exotics since 2011. When away from the clinic, she is an outdoor enthusiast and spends her time exploring the natural treasures of our local area as well as the world.

    She also actively promotes education by speaking with and mentoring youth of all ages from preschoolers through veterinary students.

  • Chad Matchell

    Chad and Scout have been a team since 2018. Chad is a proud University of Idaho Alumni and has been a firefighter since 2013.

  • Cody Moore

    Cody has been on the team since Early 2013. He is currently a Handler and Program Coordinator. In addition to his duties on the team, he is a firefighter/paramedic at Coeur d’Alene Fire Department. Cody has been in the fire service since 2008. Outside of formal canine team, Murphy is his hiking buddy.

  • Scott Dietrich

    Scott has been a member of Coeur d'Alene Fire Department since January of 2009. During his years with the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department, he spent most of his time working as a firefighter-paramedic.

    He joined the Idaho Disaster Dogs in 2019 and his first K-9 was Tamarack. Scott started working with Tamarack when he was 4-months old.

    Working with the Idaho Disaster Dogs has been one of the highlights of his career. In January of 2021 he moved to administration when he was promoted as the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department EMS Officer, but Scott is glad to report that in that position he continues to work as Tamaracks handler and train with him multiple days a week.

  • Bridget Hanna

    Bridget joined the team in 2019 and after a year became a Handler to K9 Bear. She is a K9 handler, business owner and active in supporting local nonprofits.

    Bridget has lived in North Idaho her whole life. She enjoys fishing, hiking and being in the great outdoors especially with K9 Bear.

  • Scott Robinson

    Scott Robinson has been with the team since 2013. He is currently a Canine Handler and Program Coordinator. Scott and Duke are partnered together. In addition to his duties on the team, Scott is a Firefighter/Paramedic at Coeur d’Alene Fire Department. Scott is passionate about serving his community. He grew up around the fire service and loves the opportunity to continue that legacy. Scott is also heavily involved in the LLS Firefighter Stairclimb Fundraiser.

  • Neko Caballero

    Neko Caballero is a Canine Handler on tthe team. He is partnered with Lady. Neko and Lady passed their final certification tests in 2022. Neko is also a Firefighter/EMT with the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department.

  • Jeff Sells

    Jeff was part of the development of Idaho Disaster Dogs along with canine handler Dave Tysdal. He has certified with two dogs, Cody and Otis, and deployed as a member of the FEMA Washington Task Force 1 to the Oso Landslide in Washington and to Hurricane Irma in Florida.

    Jeff served as the canine program coordinator for the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department and participated on several national level US&R committees including a term as the chair of the State Urban Search and Rescue (SUSAR) Canine Sub-Committee.

  • Kathy Sells

    More information coming soon.

  • Max McCormick

    Max is happy to serve on the team as a support member. He likes to assist and learn however he can and often finds himself hiding for the dogs, as a real live search dummy. Outside of the team Max also works as a firefighter/A-EMT for the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department.

  • Morgan Zajicek

    Morgan joined the team in October 2022 as a support member. She has enjoyed watching the handlers train with their dogs, hiding when the dogs are practicing search drills.

    Since then Morgan has become a K9 Handler. Morgan and K9 Eagle are off to a great start.

    She also works for the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department as a firefighter/paramedic. In her off duty time, Morgan likes to hike, spend time with family and learn new things.

Complete Roster

 

  • Murphy – Moore

    Duke – Robinson

    Scout – Matchell

    Bear – Hanna

    Tamarack – Dietrich

    Lady – Caballero

  • J. Sells

    K. Sells

    Sherman

    Keltner

    McCormick

    Zajicek

  • Otis

    Cody

    Walter

    Pete

    Charlie

    Boomer

    Bailey

    Maya

    Dax

  • Elisa

    Linda