IN MEMORIAM

Cholla Human Remains Detection Specialist Breed: Border Collie Date of Birth: July 9, 1993 - September 26, 2009 Handlers: Joseph Kral and Adela Morris Cholla held several certifications with both Joseph and Adela, and worked until she was twelve years old. In 1995 while working with Adela, Cholla alerted on graves from 1906. At that time we had no idea dogs could locate historic burials. This started our quest to develop the historic HRD dog. Her long career included over four hundred searches and several finds. Friends will remember her as the one that would come at you full speed to do her jump alert, many times she would go for the closest person or would tell several people that she had found something. Cholla aka Pocket Rocket...

Tali Human Remains Detection Specialist Breed: Border Collie Date of Birth: July 15, 2000 Handler: John Grebenkemper Certifications: 04/2008 - Certified in Historical Human Remains Detection by Institute for Canine Forensics Canine Accomplishments: Tali is one of a handful of dogs in the world that is being trained exclusively for Historical Human Remains Detection Tali died at 4:50 pm on Friday. In the late afternoon, she found a bush in the backyard and crawled under it. I found her a little later and she was unable to move. I held her head while she lost consciousness and died. Her passing was peaceful, and probably about as good an outcome as could be expected. She got to work on her favorite job finding old bones on Thursday, and had a peaceful death on Friday. Thanks to everyone who expressed their concerns about her condition. -John I'm so glad you enjoyed the column about Murpheee and Tali! I only met Tali and John briefly, but was so touched by their story, that I kept writing about them!! Here's a link to the story online: www.allforanimals.com/columns/armsofangels.html (I changed the title to In the Arms of the Angels -- seemed to fit better with the story.) Warmly, Karen Karen Lee Stevens - October 7, 2008

Lucy Classification: Cadaver, Type I Disaster Search Canine Breed: Border Collie Date of Birth: January 5, 1991 Handler: Lynne Engelbert Certifications: 1993 - certified as FEMA & CA OES disaster search dog since 1993 Continuously re-cert until retiring 7/04 1999 - Mission Ready Cadaver certified with Ca Office of Emergency Services (OES), re-certified every year FEMA Certified: Type I, 1993 – 2004 CA OES Certified: Human Remains Detection 1999 Canine Accomplishments: Lucy was the first Border Collie and one of the first 25 dogs in the country to certify in Disaster with the FEMA & CA OES disaster search dog program Notable Searches: 2003 - Shuttle Columbia Recovery, TX 2001 - World Trade Center after Sept. 11 (located numerous remains) 2001 - Xiana Fairchild Search (Santa Clara Co. SO) Curtis Anderson was convicted with life in prison for the kidnapping of another child 2000 - Wang Search (Lucy located deceased subject) 2000 - Dullea Search (Lucy located deceased subject) 1999 - Bonilla Landfill Search - San Jose, CA (Lucy located deceased subject, result: conviction of murderer, third strike) 1995 - Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building Explosion, Oklahoma City Those who knew Lucy remember a dog that loved disaster search more than anything. Her second love was HRD work, and she excelled in both. She worked the OKC bombing, the WTC after 9-11, the Shuttle Columbia Recovery and numerous HRD searches, finding two murder victims and one drowning victim. She helped put one bad guy away forever. Lucy had no "off" button and was hard to live with... I can imagine the ruckus she is causing on the Rainbow Bridge. I loved my search partner dearly and her death has left a huge hole in my heart. I miss you girl! Lynne Engelbert