K9 handler and member of non-profit South Carolina Search & Rescue Dog Association Marion Tisdale appointed to board of Canine Search and Recovery
July 10, 2023
Marion Tisdale, a K9 handler and officer with the South Carolina Search & Rescue Dog Association (SCSARDA), has been appointed to the board of international organization and non-profit Canine Search and Recovery (CSAR). Founded in 1996, CSAR is a 501(c)(3) organization that provides training, networking, and education for volunteer and professional K9 SAR handlers and works “to promote the increased use of search dogs in all aspects of detection.” Located in the Upstate of South Carolina, SCSARDA is an all-volunteer professional search and rescue team with highly trained search dogs dedicated to helping find those who are lost. The team responds to callouts from sheriff and police departments, fire departments, and other emergency management agencies in Upstate South Carolina, western North Carolina, and parts of the Midlands and Lowcountry of South Carolina. Tisdale has been a K9 handler with SCSARDA for nine years, and has served as an officer since 2018.
Marion Tisdale with K9 Dock, a border collie
“Our seminars boast 100+ participants and require dedicated people to ensure a successful event,” said President of the Board Janet Geist. “We are very excited to have Marion Tisdale appointed to our board. Marion brings years of experience in K9 SAR, and his involvement in CSAR has been so appreciated. We know that he will be a positive and dedicated influence for our future endeavors.”
“I began attending CSAR training events as a new handler with a new area search dog, and over the years have learned so much from the master trainers and specialists they assemble for week-long training events,” said Marion Tisdale. “CSAR is a well-run and innovative organization and the relationships I’ve gained with board members and handlers over the years have helped shape my K9 SAR career. Our local K9 team, SCSARDA, has very high standards for K9 and handler training, and we count CSAR as a valuable resource.”
Tisdale is training and working his second area search dog, K9 Dock, a border collie. He also trained and handled K9 Maya, a German Shepherd mix, for seven years until her retirement. K9 Maya achieved a national certification in area search with the North American Police Work Dog Association. Tisdale holds an Emergency Medical Responder certification and a NASAR SAR Tech II certification, and has completed coursework in lost person behavior, managing the land search operation, and other advanced SAR courses.
Tisdale is the owner of Spartan Graphics, an in-house graphic printing and signage company in Spartanburg, SC that has served companies in the Southeast for forty years. He received his bachelor’s degree in industrial management from Clemson University.
The 10-member CSAR board has members from Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Montana, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. Tisdale is the only board member from South Carolina.
The South Carolina Search and Rescue Dog Association
The South Carolina Search and Rescue Dog Association (SCSARDA) is an all-volunteer professional search and rescue team with highly trained search dogs dedicated to helping find those who are lost, from children to hikers to drowning victims to those with Alzheimer’s. Founded in 2002, SCSARDA is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization which serves as a specialized resource for emergency services agencies. We respond to requests from emergency services agencies on a 24/7 basis and our services are provided entirely free of charge. For more information on SCSARDA visit http://www.scsarda.org or like https://www.facebook.com/SCSARDAK9.
