Unlike the police service dog industry, where K-9 handlers are taught the legalities of police K-9, little education exists in the volunteer (non-compensated) SAR dog industry. As volunteer SAR dog handlers have recently found out, the court system does not differentiate between a volunteer SAR dog handler and a full time police K-9 handler. In fact, police K-9 case law has been used and applied to SAR K-9 in court.

The defense attorneys will attack the K-9 evidence. It is important to understand a few issues in the Federal court system, which most states abide by. These issues are:

• The two different descriptions of police working dogs;
• The SAR canine industry standard;
• The three legality principles of police working dogs;
• Documentation (Records);
• Courtroom testimony.

The Two Different Descriptions of Police Working Dogs