How to Request Search and Rescue K9 Services from Chesapeake Search Dogs

Chesapeake Search Dogs (CSD) provides trained search and rescue K9 services at no charge, but the way you request help depends on who you are. Government agencies can call the dedicated emergency line 410-602-3151, which is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Everyone else should either contact CSD through its website or, if you are trying to locate a missing person, call 911 first.

Who Should Call Which Number

The site draws a clear line between government and non-government requests, and following it correctly is the difference between reaching the team quickly and being routed elsewhere.

The emergency phone number is explicitly labeled for government agency use only. If you are not calling from a government agency, that line is not the right entry point.

If You Are a Government Agency

CSD describes itself as an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) that provides professionally trained search and rescue services to government agencies. For an immediate need, the process is direct:

1. Call 410-602-3151. This is the dedicated line for government agencies requiring immediate assistance.
2. Expect around-the-clock availability. The team states it is available at no charge 24 hours a day, 365 days per year.
3. Note the cost. CSD never charges for its services and never requests payment from any government agency, family, or found individual.

Because the number is reserved for government use, have your agency context ready when you call rather than treating it as a general public hotline.

If You Are Not a Government Agency

If you want to understand what CSD offers before making a request, the site directs you to its Contact Us page. This is the appropriate path for non-government organizations exploring whether K9 search services fit their situation.

The important exception: if you are a private individual and someone is missing, do not start with CSD's contact form. Call 911 immediately. Emergency dispatch is the correct first step for locating a missing person, and CSD's own instructions say so plainly.

What CSD Does and Does Not Charge

Cost is one of the few things the site states without qualification:

• Services are provided at no charge to government agencies.
• CSD never requests payment from any government agency, family, or found individual.
• As an all-volunteer team, CSD depends on donations and fundraising rather than fees.

This matters if you are weighing whether to involve a volunteer K9 team: there is no billing relationship to negotiate, and no charge is passed to the family of a missing person.

Supporting or Joining the Team

If your interest is not a request but a contribution, CSD accepts donations through its Support Us page and recruits volunteers through Join Us. Open positions include:

• K9 Handler
• Search Team Member
• Communications and Logistics team member

The organization is a 501(c)(3) and lists its mailing address as PO Box 36188, Towson, MD 21286.