Greater Atlantic Rescue Dogs

GARD currently has four operational dog teams, two teams in the canidate status, three teams as applicants and a wonderful support team. We are always looking for new members, dog teams and support staff. If you are interested in learning more about our team, please feel free to join us at a training.

Pete McClintock – Joined the SAR Community in 2004 with his Bloodhound pup Forest. Joined Tidewater Regional Emergency K9 (TREK-9) and began training in general K9 SAR including Trailing, Cadaver and Water. Certified with Forest in Basic Land Cadaver, through International Police Working Dog Association, (IPWDA) in 2005. Served as president of TREK9 2005/2006.
     Joined Tidewater Search and Rescue, (TSAR) in 2006. Obtained Virginia State Certification as Field Team Member in 2006 and Field Team Leader in 2008. Supplemented canine training through attendance at numerous K9 SAR Seminars in Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio
    Joined Greater Atlantic Rescue Dogs, (GARD) in 2006 to develop and administer the Group’s Trailing K9 Section. Served as GARD Treasurer 2008/2009 and was elected to GARD President in December 2009.
    Joined the Virginia Search and Rescue Council, (VASARCO) Trailing Standards Committee in 2006, to assist in the development of the State Standard. Committee submitted the final draft to Virginia Department of Emergency Management, (VDEM) in October 2008 and the Standard was adopted by VASARCO in January 2009. 
    In October 2009, Team Forest became the first Virginia State Certified Trailing Canine Team. 
    Continues to maintain active membership with TSAR and GARD. Participates with VDEM, VASARCO and the Trailing Standards Committee to review and revise the Standard as necessary and insure consistency of the evaluation process. Assigned State Trailing Evaluator status in October 2009. Began serving as Adjunct Instructor for Basic SAR Canine Class for VDEM Search and Rescue College in 2010.
    Recently began training 2nd Bloodhound, Gustav, Son of Forest. There are four canines in the family, including three AKC Registered Bloodhounds and a Chocolate Lab. Bloodhound Forest has also achieved the AKC, Canine Good Citizen status as will his son Gustav.


Team Jenny entered training for Wilderness Airscent September 2007 and they achieved operational status with Greater Atlantic Rescue Dogs in March 2009.  Team Jenny recertified for Wilderness Airscent in May 2011 and they have participated in numerous searches throughout the commonwealth.  When canine Jenny is not working, she moonlights as a canine model and was recently featured in Barron's 2nd Edition of "Training Your Boxer" due out in the fall of 2011.  Jenny's favorite treat (and reward for search work) is chicken and she really enjoys giving Boxer Kisses to all her willing subjects.


 K9 Roxy

Joe Deschaine came to GARD in July of 2010 and began education and training in SAR and Virginia K9 trailing standards with his K9 partner Bella in August 2010. He completed in house trailing evaluation and land navigation with Bella, achieving candidate status in February 2011.
Joe has extensive knowledge in disaster preparedness; having completed Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) primary and instructor course, NIMS and ICS training.  He was part of Virginia Beach CERT leadership, addressing communication objectives.
Joe is actively involved with amateur radio, obtaining his FCC technical license in 2006 and General license in 2007.  He is a member of Virginia Beach Amateur Radio Club (VBARC), awarded VBARC HAM radio operator of the year in 2010 and served and has served on the Board of Directors.  He is very involved in promoting ham radio communication as a resilient communication mode for disaster response. Volunteers regularly for communication control during regional activities such as marathons and parades, facilities net control of VBARC weekly, drilling emergent communications.
Joe has acquired SOLO Wilderness First Aid certification, has attended Crime Scene Preservation and K9 SAR training seminars and exercises.
  Joe has a life long love and commitment to animals, having shared his home with a multitude of canine “furchild”.  Currently in his home is his K9 partner Bella, his wife’s K9 partner Sophie Sniffer and a 4 year old rescue Great Dane, Maggie Mae, a 2 year old Great Dane Samuel Beauregard, a rescue cat who thinks it is a dog, and a 10 year old Blue and Gold Macaw-Carlos who spends it days carefully devising the best time to scream it’s loudest.
Beyond his commitment to volunteer SAR, and radio communications, Joe loves the outdoors, hiking, camping and nature.


Cheryl Deschaine came to GARD in July of 2010 as an Associate Member, obtained a bloodhound, Sophie Sniffer, shortly thereafter and started training in SAR and Virginia K9 Trailing standards officially in December 2010.

Cheryl is a Registered Nurse, responsible for disaster preparedness for a local health system.  She has extensive knowledge and provides education and training in National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System, all hazard emergency preparedness, response and recovery, and life and environmental safety. She is an instructor in Hospital Emergency Response, certified by The Center for Domestic Preparedness and has taught multi regional healthcare responders in hazard material operations and recovery.

She has acquired FEMA Professional Development certification in Emergency Management standards, and SOLO Wilderness First Aid certification.  She is an instructor for the American Heart Association Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Program. She has taught classes for Virginia Beach Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers. She has attended Crime Scene Preservation and K9 SAR training seminars and exercises. 

Cheryl has a life long love and commitment to animals, sharing her home with Sophie Sniffer, Bella Sniffer, another GARD hound, and two Great Danes, Maggie a rescue and Samuel Beauregard, a rather oversized lap Dane.  All are tormented by a 10 year old Blue and Gold Macaw-Carlos who spends it days asking the dogs “do you want to go outside”, calling them by name, answering the phone and generally having private conversations at various sound decibels.
Beyond her volunteer duties and the “furkids”; Cheryl enjoys spending time in nature,  hiking, camping, learning about plants, snakes and animals.