The Official Website of the California Rescue Dog Association

Welcome

The purpose of the California Rescue Dog Association (CARDA) is:

• To provide highly trained volunteer search dog teams for search and rescue deployment;
• To train and promote working dogs for search and rescue;
• To set the standards by which search and rescue dogs are to be certified;
• To act as a principal testing agency for the certification of search dogs;
• To further the public knowledge of, interest in, and the use of search and rescue dogs;
• To promote the positive image and protect the interests of the search and rescue community in the State of California;
• And to encourage and foster good relationships between CARDA and legislative and law enforcement bodies.

As members of the largest, and one of the oldest, volunteer K-9 Search and Rescue organizations in the country, CARDA teams have participated in over 2500 searches in the past few decades and have saved agencies over $2 million through the use of volunteer resources. CARDA members incur all costs including mileage, equipment, pagers, and dog expenses. We rely on donations from the community to continue supplying this vital service.