How Do I Join?

People and Paws is open to anyone, however; we do have stringent entrance requirements.

We are currently accepting applicants for regular members. We are also accepting applications for Associate Members.

To be a regular member, you must be currently certified in First Aid, CPR and a NASAR SARTech II before applying to the team. Potential members must attend six training sessions (without your dog) before you can be considered for membership.  After attending six sessions, you need to complete a membership application and authorization for criminal background check. You will also have to submit complete vet records for any dog that you will be training.  Your application will be reviewed and you will be invited for an interview with the Board of Directors. If you are approved, you are on probation for 12 months.  After 12 months, the Board of Directors will reassess your file.

For your dog, we recommend that you work on obedience and socialization as this is the foundation  for all SAR training.  We base most of our SAR dog training on the book "Ready! The Training of the Search and Rescue Dog" By Susan Bulanda.  All dogs must have completed obedience training and a CGC before being accepted.

For the people, we recommend that you look at some of the free courses that FEMA - Federal Emergency Management Agency - offer at http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/ We normally start with Basic Incident Command and Emergency Response to Terrorism.  We also require that our dog handlers are certified by NASAR - National Association of Search and Rescue - as Search and Rescue Technicians Level II.  These courses are offered through out the year by NASAR.  You can find the dates for these courses at www.nasar.org under the education section.  

To be an Associate member, you must be currently certified in First Aid, CPR and have a specialty skill that would be used in the event that the team responds to a disaster.  We are currently looking for Wisconsin licensed Paramedics, Nurses or Doctors that function in a direct emergency patient care area , Wisconsin Licensed Law Enforcement officers, certified Swiftwater/Flood Rescue Technicians and public safety certified divers. 

If you have any questions about this process,

  please contact us at:  membership@peopleandpaws.org   or

if you are interested in more information,

 please contact us at: info@peopleandpaws.org.