Alaska Solstice Search Dogs have their day at 11th annual Mat-Su Emergency Preparedness Expo

WASILLA —There were plenty of reasons to go to the Mat-Su Emergency Preparedness Expo on Saturday, be it for an emergency kit or to learn discover a service provider that could end up saving your life.

Attendees also had the chance to pet a search and rescue dog named Gemini, getting a free dose of serotonin and oxytocin. For most people, the simple act of petting a dog can do wonders for stress, especially if you’ve just been rescued.

“The animal human bond is unlike any other, simply put,” Alaska Solstice Search Dogs volunteer Alina Rice said.

Gemini and her partner Kathleen Kavalok stood near the entrance of the Mended Sports Center, mingling with attendees.

The fluffy Large Münsterländer is a highly trained search and rescue dog for Alaska Solstice Search and Rescue Dogs. Her breed is known for their tracking skills.

“She has not let me down. She loves to track,” Kavalok said.

Kavalok said that Gemini and her breed are also known for their energy and happy go lucky personalities. Numerous people stopped to pet Gemini and she usually gave them “kisses” in return.

“They’ll find you and revive you with kisses,” Kavalok said with a laugh.

Kavalok is nearing her first year as a volunteer with Alaska Solstice Search and Rescue Dogs. The nonprofit group is made up of passionate, dog loving, lifesaving volunteers. They’re based out of the Mat-Su Valley but their service covers the whole state.

They work hand in hand with the Alaska State Troopers, along with other law enforcement and rescue entities like the Alaska Army National Guard.

Kavalok said that she’s felt nothing but positivity and widespread support from her crew since day one. She said they’re all there for the same reason, to save lives.

“It’s fabulous. This is a great group to work with,” Kavalok said.

Kavalok has wanted to work with search and rescue dogs most of her adult life and finally got the chance. She said it means a lot to her. She said there’s been countless cases of people who were lost and never found but could have been saved if a dog was there.

Rice recently embarked on a rescue mission with her partner Birch. She said they aided the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group and other responders’ efforts to recover a man lost in the Peter’s Creek area.

She said it didn’t take long because the man followed the sound of the helicopter and eventually found his way to his rescuers. He was welcomed by a highly trained and highly friendly Golden Retriever who according to Rice helped calm the man from the traumatic ordeal.

“Our dogs are very multifaceted,” Rice said.

Birch didn’t have to wear his rescue hat very long that day and he was happy to put on his emotional support hat.

“That’s always an awkward time especially when he felt like he inconvenienced lot of people, but it was a really positive things for him to meet my dog,” Rice said.

From firefighters to personal care providers, there was no short supply of representatives from their respective fields at the Menard Sports Center.

Kavalok said the annual expo was is “key” for the community. She said that it brings the various entities together under one roof for the same reason, to help people prepare for emergencies and disasters.

“It’s a matter of life and death,” Kavalok said.

Founding member and current president, Donna Kramer set out to train and deploy highly qualified and certified search dog teams to assist search and recovery efforts for missing persons year round. She said their presence at the expo is an important tool for community outreach.

Kramer noted the expo has been doing its job. She said that the recently retired Iditarod musher DeeDee Jonrowe joined their group after meeting them at the expo.

Jonrowe is currently training a yellow lab to be an Alaska Solstice Search Dog. That’s one more for the pack.

“We have to help the community and the community has to know we exist,” Kavalok said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com