Here we will introduce you to our organization, allowing you to find out more about our history, the team and its board. We feel that we have been exceedingly blessed by God (YHWH) with SoCal K-9 Search & Rescue. We work hard and try our best to produce the best service to our communities possible, but we know beyond any doubts that He has put His hand on this endeavor. To God be the glory.

The Beginning…

Officer Jamison Burrell pictured with K9-1, Luger.

In the thirteen years that Jamison Burrell worked as a decorated and awarded police officer, he enjoyed his eight years on the K9 Unit with his rottweiler, Luger, the most. When Jamison left law enforcement and changed careers to pharmaceuticals, Luger continued working with Jamison, riding in the back seat of his Pfizer company car every day, going to lunches and making sales calls to physicians. Luger did finally pass in 2007 at a record age of 16 years old. It would be almost 7 years later that Jamison would finally be able to open himself up to another working companion. It was Jamison’s intent to recreate the best part of his career while providing a service to give back to the community. Together, Jamison and his border collie, Asa, began their journey to create their own nonprofit 501(c)(3) search-and-rescue unit as the ultimate man and dog team.

1. Founder and Handler: Jamison Burrell

Founder, Jamison Burrell, pictured with K-9 Kota and K-9 Shiloh.

Jamison Burrell, Founder of SoCal K-9 Search & Rescue and second generation dog handler, worked as a Deputy Sheriff with the Tioga County Sheriff’s Department in New York. He served on the canine unit for 8 years, raising to the ranks of K9-1 with his working dog Luger. Jamison was certified by The Municipal Police Training Council at the state of New York in advanced narcotic detection, tracking, handler protection, mutual gains negotiation training, building/area search, obedience and agility. He also has been certified as a first responder. When Jamison ran the canine unit, the dog team was used as a part of the emergency response team for SWAT calls. “Nothing quite compares to helping someone in their time of need… unless you can help them with a dog”.

2. Canine: Kota

K-9 Kota water training on a lake in Northern California.

Arguably one of the most intelligent of all breeds, the Border Collie brings superior intellect, intensity and an obsessive zeal for working. Kota is a purebred black and white Border Collie registered with the American Border Collie Association. He comes to us from Texas where he was in training to be a therapy dog on a ranch. This sharp-eyed, quick-thinking, fanatical workaholic has been trained by Jamison for endless hours and miles of search-and-rescue action to be able to find missing people and save lives when the seconds matter most. With his high intelligence he is learning the necessary search-and-rescue techniques very quickly and is in ongoing training. In his off time, Kota still works as a therapy dog bringing joy and peace to people of all ages from classrooms of children to groups of Alzheimer’s patients in long term care facilities.

3. Canine: Shiloh

K-9 Shiloh Training in the Mojave Desert.

We are excited to have expanded our unit with the newest member to our K-9 Search & Rescue team, Shiloh. A red and white border collie comes to us from Mississippi and has wasted no time getting started on his training. He is a third generation SoCal Search & Rescue dog following in the footsteps of his predecessors, Kota, and the original dog that started the unit in 2014, Asa. He is already contributing to unit through his curiosity and adventurous personality. Shiloh is proving to be a great working partner for Kota and our team.

4. CFO/Treasurer: Dale Burrell

Vietnam and Iraqi War Veteran and our CFO, Dale Burrell

Dale Burrell, CFO and Treasurer of SoCal K-9 Search & Rescue, founded the Tioga County Sherrif’s Department K9 Unit in 1982. All through his years as an active police instructor he taught numerous curriculums ranging from penal law to SWAT. While working on the K9 unit, Dale had two working dogs: his first partner, a Shepard named Nitro; and his last partner, a Rottweiler named Starsky. It was Jamison’s working dog, Luger, that brought Dale out of retirement, assisting in training the dog and leading him back to serving a few more years on the K9 unit in the 90’s. Dale is a veteran of both the Vietnam War and Iraq, exposing him to a wide range of natural disaster/emergency situations. We are honored to have Dale as a part of SoCal K-9 Search & Rescue, offering his vast experiences and expertise to our unit.

5. Secretary/Team Medic: Rachel Burrell

Rachel Burrell is the co-founder of SoCal K-9 Search & Rescue. After over 5 years of working in the medical field, Rachel left that position to work full time for the K-9 unit. Her spine and orthopedic speciality medical training led her to a deep understanding of the importance of preventative practices, exercises and foods for longevity to best protect and elongate the healthy life of the dogs she works with today. Under the tutelage of her husband and elite trainer, Jamison Burrell, the two commenced their K-9 unit in 2014, traveling out into the wilderness for extended trainings and real emergency calls. During this time, Rachel successfully trained and maintained K-9 Asa, K-9 Kota and K-9 Shiloh’s training in on and off leash obedience, behavioral modification, distance/directional control, trick training and live find search and rescue techniques. After experiencing the joy of bonding with her dogs, she now shares the theories and techniques that enhanced her own dogs experience and life so much.

6. Volunteer: Bob Geerts

Volunteer, Bob Geerts, pictured with K-9 Shiloh.

Bob Geerts, a volunteer with SoCal K-9 Search & Rescue, worked as a Sargent in the Marine Corps before his career with the U.S. Air Force in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. This hard working, Vietnam War Veteran received military first aid training which came in handy as he’s assisted a wide range of emergency/disaster situations ranging from aiding a team member with a broken arm to handling bullet wounds on site to even delivering a baby to name a few. During his 33 years working in Alaska, aside from receiving an outdoor education for two years before his climbing expedition on the sixth highest mountain in the United States and the third highest volcano, Mount Sanford, at a whopping 16,237 feet, Bob was a dog handler for over 100 competitive dogs that ran the annual, 1100 mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and the worlds toughest international sled dog race, the Yukon Quest Sled Dog Races. After volunteering to handle, train, exercise, feed and assist the mushers and their racing dogs for about six years, Bob came down to the lower 48 and spent another four years volunteering with the Fishing and Wildlife Organization in California as well as the High Sierra Trail Crew. Bob has a sincere way with animals, especially dogs. His vast knowledge in dog handling and outdoor education continues to be a great asset to our search and rescue team. It is our privilege to have Bob as a part of SoCal K-9 Search & Rescue, offering a lifetime of his experiences and expertise to our unit.