MOTO+PARA K9 Search & Rescue™ (MPK) teams are designed to have a dual purpose in supporting the ground zero service area.
First, as an “homage” to the traditional firehouse dog, the Dalmatian, and to the military dogs used in combat, and as a symbol of good luck and community support. The second, and more important use, as Search and Rescue (SAR) rescue and retrieval dogs for a response service area. MOTO+PARA™ has chosen the European Doberman Pinscher to meet the stringent requirements of the MPK.
These K9s are highly trained and strong. One of the major prerequisites for K9 service is to be able to retrieve a 200 lb. man, and drag the victim the length of an American football field. In addition, these K9’s must be easily trained to European standards. The use of dogs in SAR is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people. Search and rescue dogs are typically worked by a small team of dedicated handlers on foot for catastrophic or mass-casualty events such as earthquakes, landslides, building collapses, and aviation incidents. MPK Doberman Pinschers are trained to meet the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) K9 standards for domestic or international deployment. Advanced agility and off-lead training are also prerequisites. MPKs are also trained to comply with European FCI, IPO (Schutzhund) standards and certifications. The MPKs assigned to each MOB help form an international network of highly trained and available K9s that service their areas, and are ready to be deployed for major disasters.