The loss of K9 Handler, board member, and friend Cindy McArthur in 2020 has been deeply felt by many, but especially by those of us who were blessed to know her and work with her personally.  We are proud to honor Cindy and her passion for K9 SAR on our Memorial page. 

The 2023 Cindy McArthur Memorial Scholarship is now OPEN and accepting applications with a deadline of February 1, 2023!

"​We do not rise to the level of our expectations.
We fall to the level of our training.”
Archilochus 650 BC
Search Dog Organization of America (SDONA)'s mission is simple:
To develop and nurture a program grounded in science-based functional training where K9 handlers and their dogs can train, test, and challenge themselves to the highest level possible.

To support this mission, SDONA is committed to the following:
  • Providing sound, useful and functional educational opportunities for SAR Dog handlers and trainers.
  • Providing realistic, skill based operational testing opportunities that meet internationally “benchmarked” standards.
We will be posting information about our 2023 seminars in early January, 2023. 
​Be sure to check them out on our Events page or contact us if you want to discuss hosting a specific seminar in your location. 
We invite you to explore our organization and the diversity of resources for
​K9 Search and Rescue.  

SDONA is registered charitable organization registered with the Internal Revenue Service and the State of Illinois. All donations help us to continue to offer high quality training opportunities at a reasonable cost to ensure that SAR K9 teams are prepared to respond in a time of need. Please consider making a donation to support our mission.