K-9 Search Program Receives $2K Grant From Walmart

Christmas has come early for two North Kingstown canines. Earlier this week, the received a $2,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation to help them fund its canine search program.

North Kingstown is the only municipal fire department in Rhode Island that has a canine unit dedicated to a search and rescue program. The department’s two Labrador retrievers – Rudi and Bella – are trained to located missing persons in the wilderness as well as those trapped within the rubble of a collapsed building.

Though Bella just joined the program and is awaiting certification this winter, four-year-old Rudi has been with the department for three years. Two months ago, he was certified as a Type I Disaster Search Dog ­ the most advanced certification that a search and rescue dog can attain. Rudi has been used in missing persons cases in North Kingstown as well as other communities throughout the state.

Both dogs are trained and handled by Captain Michael LeClair, a 23-year veteran of the North Kingstown Fire Department and a canine manager for the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency’s Urban Search and Rescue Task Force.

“We’re very thankful to get this grant from Walmart,” said LeClair. “We’ve been able to provide this service to our community without using any taxpayer funds.”

The program has run completely on donations and grants for the past two years, paying for the dogs’ food and veterinary costs. On average, the department spends $1,000 per canine each year.

Learn more about the Walmart Foundation here.