The Search and Rescue Club will hold its first meeting at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26
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The Search and Rescue Club will hold its first meeting at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Wallbash Conservation area, according to sponsor Paula Sparks.
Three groups will meet on Saturday: ages five to 10; 11 to 15; and 16 to adults. For the first meeting, members are not required to bring their dogs, but they may if they wish. All dogs must be on a leash. The organizational meeting will be to formally sign-up members and give them an idea of what to expect.
The first step for the dogs will be obedience training. The dogs will need to receive a Canine Good Citizen Award. The award is given out by the American Kennel Club (AKC). After training, an AKC judge will give the dogs a performance test. The dogs must have the obedience training before they can go on to the second step, tracking and scent discrimination.
“We’ve gotten a good response to the Search and Rescue Club so far,” said Mrs. Sparks. “There was actually a lot more interest than I anticipated. It will be a fun deal. We’ll serve refreshments, hot chocolate and cookies.”
Volunteers who want to help with refreshments should call her at 749-5363.
Anyone wishing to be a part of Search and Rescue Club who doesn’t have a dog, can “borrow” one from the Gallatin dog pound. “Some people will have more than one dog they’d be willing to share,” said Mrs. Sparks.
A family with one child in each age group will be able to use the same dog to accompany all three. However, if two children are in the same group, they need to have two dogs.
The Wallbash Conservation Area as a base camp provides the correct setting for the dog’s training, she added. She suggests club members dress warmly, and remember to bring baggies to clean up after the dog, if you choose to bring one to the first meeting.
“That’s just a courtesy in a park area,” said Mrs. Sparks. “People need to learn dog etiquette It leaves a good impression on people who come behind. When dogs are off the beaten path, that’s something else.”
The Wallbash Conservation Area is located on Hwy. 6, about a mile northeast of Gallatin.
Turn left at MFA Oil, then after a short distance turn right to the boat ramp.
Though the Search and Rescue Club was founded to introduce teens, interested adults are also welcome. In case of inclement weather, an alternative meeting place will be posted.
Mrs. Sparks recommends club members view the movie on Animal Planet called “Scent of Danger” “The movie gives a real good idea of what these dogs actually do,” she said.
There are quite a few dogs at the Gallatin pound, including a chocolate lab, several black labs, and a purebred huskie.
All of the dogs at the pound are available for adoption. Mrs. Sparks would also like people to consider the possibility of offering a foster home for the dogs, until they can be placed in a permanent home.