International K9 Search and Rescue Services
Office of Emergency Management Longview, Washington 98632 USA. Mobile: 503-705-0258 Email: sardogk91@proton.me www.k9sardog.com Harry Oakes SAR Stats June 1972 –12-16-2024.
BACKGROUND SAR RESUME Harry Oakes started in SAR, May 1972 - 1974 with Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office with MCSO LE Post# 900 / 631. Portland, Ore. 03-228-74 Graduated adult 310 Hr BPST Academy. #9863.
Sept. 1974- Sept. 1977 US Army Military Police assisted in MAST Medical’s. Military SAR Ops. and Mountain Rescue overseas. 7th Division MP Co. and 165th MP Company.
Oct. 77 - Jan.78 UOHSC Police Officer Commissioned 90-day temp traffic position.
Feb. – June 78 Drain P.D. & Ambulance EMT.
July 78 Aug 79 Eastside City PD. Co Instructor Police officer Survival and Self Defense. Oregon Police Academy.
Sept. 79- March 1980. Morrow County Sheriff’s Office in Heppner, Oregon. Sheriff’ SAR Coordinator, instructor, and EMT.
1982-1984 Washington Co. Sheriff’s office Hillsboro Ore. Paid reserve deputy and B.P.S.T. training instructor for PR-24 and Defensive tactics. 1987-1990. Unpaid volunteer Clark Co. K-9 Sheriff’s office advisor, K9 SAR Coordinator, Sheriff Kanakoa.
1980-1996 Volunteer back country Ski patrol. Mt Hood, Ore. Mt St Helens, WA.
1986 Active member / instructor with Portland Mountain Rescue and co-founded the search dog program Oregon D.O.G.S. for the state of Oregon in 1986.
1986 - 1997 Harry co-founded the Nonprofit K9 SAR team of Oregon D.O.G.S. (Dogs Organized for Ground Search and Rescue).
1987 -1997 Founded the NONPROFIT Mountain Wilderness Search Dogs. (All Volunteer). Trained over 65 volunteer K9 teams in Oregon and assisted in teaching the Sitka SAR Dog teams.
1997 to Current. Harry founded the for-profit professional International K9 Search and Rescue Services. www.k9sardog.com Also trained SAR Dog teams in Ireland, Africa, St Croix USVI, Honduras, Philippines, and through out the USA, Canada, and Alaska.
25 Years Instructor/Advisor/Volunteer for American Red Cross Disaster Team. Portland, Ore. and Longview, Wa. Responding to Floods, Fires, with Grief therapy dogs.
38 years operating a Private Pet Ambulance.
AWARDS / Recognition Letters for Volunteer and Paid work done in SAR. 02-27-74 Letter in (life-saving award) Multnomah Co. Sheriff Purcell). March 28-74 Multnomah Co. Sheriff’s Dept. Graduate certificate BPST academy.
12-20-1974 Fort Gordon, GA Graduated US Army Military Police Academy. 8-01-76 US Army Military Police Excellence Award. 7 th Division Commander. Fort Ord, Ca.
June 4-77 EMT Basic City Colleges of Chicago. Via 165th MP Co. Fischbach Germany.
1978 Oregon Peace Officer Association letter in. Member of OSSA and OPOA shooting team.
1979 Morrow Co. Sheriff’s office letter in Life saving awards. #1 Pulling 17 year old out of a burning car. #2. Coordinating and working to rescue injured elk hunter who was shot, during a major winter storm. July 81 State of Oregon EMT 2 Airway IV tech certification.
Nov. 21, 83 Letter in re my work in Law enforcement for Washington Co. Sheriff’s office. Lt Jim Spinden.
Nov. 83 Letter In Volunteer SAR award. President R. Regan.
May 1986 OES climbing accident. Team leader D#2 and #3 Mt Hood. PMR.
Nov. 87 Chief Knori Gresham PD Letter in for SAR dog work regarding homicide.
12/87 Christine Miles Back country rescue Mt Hood recognition letter. May 1988 Skamania County Dept of Emergency Management Letter in re: Documented find Anita Merrel suicide by drowning Case.
03-89 National Jefferson Award winner.
04-89 Sheriff R Steele Polk Co. Letter in. Successful work in SAR.
04-90 Chief Johnson Battleground PD. Letter in for assistance in finding missing person.
07-07-90 90-012 Chemult, Ore. Private Search for missing 9 year old on a pony lost
Oct. of 89. Sheriff of Klamath Co. Nathan Madsen. I coordinated search that found his remains.
12-90 T. Bradshaw letter in from Clark Co. Regional Office of Emergency Management for SAR work. Brian Harris remains located Clark Co. Wa.
1990 Oregon Pet Hall of Fame for SAR Dog Ranger.
05-22-91 91-015 Douglas Co. Deputy Larry Gibson murdered his Tommy. We were able to prove it with the SAR dog.
July 1990 Letter in President Aquino Philippines for work in Philippine Quake. Finding 25 dead victims and helping treat over 300 injured. July 91 Battleground PD Chief Johnson for SAR work.
Aug. 92 Gov. Roberts State of Oregon letter in for SAR work.
Jan 10, 92 President G Bush for Golden Rule award for SAR work. Nov. 1992 Tualatin PD Letter of Re in for instructing Survival and Preparedness.
04-1993 Polk Co. Sheriff’s office Sheriff R Steele Letter in for successful SAR work.
06-22-93 93-226-018 Missing Hiker-Hoskins-West Side of Mt. Angelas. Olympic National Forest. Missing x 13 days. Ranger & I flew into sight by helo. We found him in less than 20 minutes on scene. West Side. He had fallen 350' over a cliff to his death. Air scented to his location by helicopter.
12-93 Chief Harper Dallas Police Dept. Lifesaving letter re Angelia Bush save.
1993 President Bill Clinton, Letter in re; National volunteer award for SAR work.
Jan 7 1994 Northridge quake. Responded and worked assigned areas. 1994 Mazamas and USFS Letters in for instructing basic climbing class.
1994 US Coast Guard Letter in for Water Rescue work.
04-25-1994 Letter in Clatsop Co. case Dela Carlson finding remains. 09-27-28-94 94-359-096 Homicide x 2 . Carlson case Clark Co. Battle Ground Wash. SAR Dogs Ranger and Shadow located where victims were killed and id suspect and how he transported victims out of the area. 94-391-128
Body Recovery Class 5 water Wind River Sk.Co. Died from Hypothermia. "Dave" Victim.
04-95 Sheriff Lucas Clark Co. Sheriff’s office. Letter in for SAR work. 04-06-89 89-005 Polk Co. Ore. "Jay Burroughs"-Homicide-Pee Dee,Ore. Victim missing 45 days. MWSD Teams Located victims buried in dirt and debris pile and vital evidence to id suspect.
April 1995 letters of thank you in from Fire Dept. and Mayors office regarding Oklahoma City bombing search efforts for human remains from the bombing and grief therapy at hospital for surviving victims of the bombing. June 1995 letter in from Mayor Norik Oklahoma City re our work in the bombing search efforts.
Oct. 1995 Camas Police Chief letter in for finding Billy Talent’s remains Washugal river.
95-541-137 09-02-95 Clark Co. Washington. Clark Co. Sheriffs Dept. Kidnap case. DEM#95-1217 Martha, Michael and Crystal Beeson Kidnapped from 72ave. Vanc. Wash. NOTE: We did find crucial evidence that assisted CCSO in identifying suspect and capturing him and getting the family back safe. The suspect later stood up in the courtroom after I got done testifying and said to the judge” Your honor (suspect pointing at me) he’s 100% correct in his findings with the search dog). Conviction.
1996 Fema certificate in.
05-30-96 96-730-087. David Wahl Cannon Beach, Oregon. I located his remains and turned case over to OSP. Obtained conviction on suspect (girlfriend) who murdered him.
08-26-96 –08-31-2013. 96-821-177 Deschutes Co. Bend, Ore. Skeleton Fire Support Mission. Humane Society of Central Oregon. Ref: Missing animals and livestock from fire. Grief Therapy and found 27 pets, 12 dead, remaining alive.
Jan 1997 Ridgefield PD letter in re: Brian Raff documented drowning water find.
1997 Linn Co. Recognition article regarding my finding Elijah Kelt’s remains with SAR dogs in water.
1997 Letter in re Abe Ellis Search. We tracked and located his remains in Willamette River. Multnomah co. Sheriff’s river patrol witnessed find.
08-10-97 97-1056-133. Mult. Co. Ore. Lost Child. Jessica Nicole Clark, (Victim). WFJ. age 4 Sellwood Riverfront Park Child’s remains surfaced the next day right where we told the police and fire dept and family where she was on 08-10-97.
Sept 97 Oregon Humane Society letter in for assistance in helping find missing dog Haas.
12-11-97 97-1127-204. Wash. Co. Ore. Missing Person. Saffa M. Nasir. I identified with my SAR dog where he was murdered and who killed him. Suspect later convicted from our evidence found.
Oak Harbor Police Dept. Thank you letter for assistance on Deb. Palmer case. Kidnapping homicide case.
July 1998 Letter in From Mrs. Mary Kuhn regarding my work in finding and saving her daughter’s life as well as four other children, after they were kidnapped and transported to Mexico for the sex trade industry.
1998 Darke Co. Ohio Letter in for finding Lynn Topp kidnap murder victim. Buried on a pig farm. Sheriff Toby Spencer witnessed my search and finding of body location.
1998 Tegucigalpa, Honduras after Hurricane Mitch struck. Letter in from Fire Dept. and President Carlos Flores for our successful We located over 25 victims there. Harry Oakes SAR Dog Valorie Michelle Keating SAR dog Yogi.
1999 Both of the Earthquakes Turkey letters in from SAR teams for my successful finds work there. Locating over 71 victims dead and 14 alive.
2000 Jamaican Government worked with the Miami office of the FBI on the Claudia Kirschhoch case. Successful finding of vital evidence and identified suspect.
04-2001 Letter in from former Senator and attorney Charles Ringo regarding me being found NOT GUILTY of any wrongdoing in the Oregon DOJ audit and investigation.
March 2002 Ward Weaver Murder case. We located Ashley Pond and Miranda Gaddis FBI/OCPD/CCSO FUBARed this search. Unsolved2@aol.com and family along with other media gave us full credit for finding their remains.
12-20-2002 SAR Dog Valorie and Handler Harry Oakes flew to the Dominican Republic and located what happened to missing 18-year-old American missionary Sean Stover in the Bay of Eagles.
11-04-2000 2000-1737-199. Minnesota. Missing persons cases. ARPIL GEYER Rose Forcum. Found victims location and evidence.
09-11-2001 2001-1964-194. New York World Trade Center Towers Terrorist Explosions. Worked w/ Mayor’s office. Sent equipment in as needed. Consultant teams to rescue animals trapped in the restricted zones.
2004-3179-154. St Croix US VI. Body Recovery (old human bones) Worked SAR Dog Valorie on actual cadaver area search. Hwy 70 near 707. Unearthed soccer field. Located death site of a human and some bone fragments. All items diagramed, photographed. Took Bones to Gov. Juan Luis Hospital pathologist. He confirmed they were human bones. Turned over to police. Bones later identified as being from an old slave grave buried in the late 1800’s.
02-27-05 5-3405-063. Pierce Co. Wa. S.O. Drownings x 2. Lake Kapowsin Thomas Johnson age 26. Kenneth Brisby, 26 Located both subjects. Family and Pierce Co. S.O. Advised.
06-21-05 2005-3520-176. Found victim dead in pond in park. See reports. Body surfaced in front of mother three inches from my flagging where I told police where he was. SPD lied to media regarding the find. Mother and Dog handler Russell witnessed my finding the remains location. 06-09-09
2009-6129-489. Lost person Polk Co. Ore. Missing person Dustin Gibson age 67 106 Lee and Wiley witnessed both dogs alerting Cougar Creek drainage. Lee’s team located victim doa right where our search dogs said he was.
2011-6846-150. 5-31-2011 Joplin, MO. Tornado. Checked in with EOC. Signed waivers, given assignments. Grief therapy with several police officers and searched assigned areas.
2013-7520-015. 01-5-2013 Mult. Co. Ore. Missing person Paul Edward Disbury located his remains in upper pool area Mult. Falls. Family and MCSO / Sherwood PD Advised. (Body later recovered by MCSO 3 months later where we located it in Jan. 2013).
2013-7534-029. 01-17-2013 Drowning PORTLAND, Ore. Missing: Steven Wright Gifford,59 Rocky Point Marina Body recovered where my search dogs alerted at.
2013-7534-029. 2014-2013 RE: 01-17-2013 Drowning PORTLAND, Ore. Missing: Steven Wright Gifford, 59, Mr. Gifford recovered a few feet from where Willow and Tyler alerted on 02-04-2013. Jen the Mgr witnessed the alerts.
2013-7862-359(A). 08-29-2013 Missing person Oly, Wa. Jan Benedict Nielson. Harry Oakes with his two search dogs Willow and Tyler tracked 25 miles to where we located his remains 99 Se near 92 nd court Thurston co sheriffs dept responded To assist in the investigation. 2014-9069-133.
03-27-2014 Oso, Wa. Land/mud slide. Teams: H. Oakes SAR Dogs Willow and Tyler responded after obtaining permission to enter the search area via FEMA Arlington. Did search for assigned area. 2014-9089-152.
04-05-2014 Drowning suicide. Hermiston, Ore. Alvin Lee Paterson DLS 03-30-2014. We were 100% correct. His remains later recovered in river.
2014-9397-457(A). 09-08-204 Drowning Mayfield Lake, Wa. RP: 51-year-old Winlock Terri f/ Texas. at Ike Kinswa State Park. Located subj. 30 feet out and 95 feet down in lake. Marked location. His parents, sister, brother witnessed the finding. Body recovered.
2015-9942-372(B) 2015-13-2015 Portland, Ore. Missing person. 37-YR-OLD WOMAN IN LINNTON AREA Lisa Jane Wright St. John's Bridge area. Dogs indicate she’s dead in river off bridge. Body floated up right where my dogs said she was.
2018-11,405-223(C). 07-19-2018 Dog Drowning Cowltiz River, Wa. Marie (owner bill cook “Shilo female 13 yo 70lbs.. Ethel bar 1-1/2 miles up river blue creek boat launch Trout hatchery. Team; H. Oakes SAR Coordinator SAR Team. C. Williams. SAR Dog Cedar. Results: Found dog dead in river 300 yards downstream.
2020-12,197-297(B). 09-22-2020 Missing person Astoria, Ore. Re; Mike Konecny, a missing person, last seen in Astoria Oregon. Mike was last seen alongside the road near the Lewis and Clark draw bridge on Alternate Highway 101 Air scented to where teams located him dead by suicide.
2021-12,325-006(A). 01-05-2021 Monmouth, Ore. Lost blind dog. M Moss Olmsted 5205 Dunn Forest Road, Monmouth, Oregon in Polk County blind Parson Russell Terrier. Kassie She is 14 yo 15 lbs. Dogs tracked down hillside to pond gave death alerts Dogs correct. Body recovered by family in pond on 01-05-2021.
2021-392-074(C). 03-31-2021 Missing person Grays Harbor, Wa. RP: Bruce re Sabrina lynn Cole. Wash. BPX 4786. Oakville Boat Ramp# 2. body recovered where my dogs alerted. 04-05-2021 by GHSO. 2012-12,521-202(A). 07-25-2021 Missing Person Clark Co. Wa. RP: re Blaze Nemeth missing f/ Who’s Song and Larry’s Vanc. Wa. along col. River. Dogs tracked right to river. Worked west along river to Boise Place. Body recovered 20 yards from where dogs alerted.
2022-12,663-009(A).
01-09-2022 Lost dog Mud slide Seattle, Wa. RP:Jill Lers Bozzy Didi and James 2400 Perkins Lane Seattle, Wal DLS Fri. Live find.
11-15-04 2004-3243-243(E). Clark. Co. Wash. Carolyn Killaby Search. Team: H. Oakes SAR Dog Valorie K-9-1. M. Keating SAR Dog Yogi K-9-2. Results; Found some human remains. (Victim’s hair).
Jade Venson Recovery and murder suspect id in Yamhill Co. Ore. By Harry Oakes and SAR dogs. Numerous other documented finds live and dead on file.
Here's the breakdown of Harry’s SAR Calls. All documented, and all accepted in the courts of law. Reviewed and verified by the Oregon Department of Justice, The FBI, and IRS, as well as independent auditors. Since 1972, I've received over 15,371 SAR call requests around the world. This is for missing persons, lost pets, evidence, Pet Assisted Grief Therapy calls, SAR dog and team consults, training, and suspect id. This also includes consult cases. (Does not include SAR Dog Training Requests). 5,600 Requests have been for Missing persons cases. 9,771 Cases have been for Evidence, Articles, Pet Assisted Therapy, SAR dog training, SAR Team cases, and lost pet cases. Out of the 15,371 cases, 4,597 Advisor/Consultant to other SAR teams ref: Instructor All aspects of Search and Rescue, missing persons, Pet Assisted Therapy, and lost pet cases. Documented through State, City, Federal Law Enforcement agencies, government agencies, and private family requests. Documented 229 Direct live Finds of missing persons. This means I’ve located 229 persons alive during my active searches. 389 Assisted Live Finds of Missing persons. I've assisted the Law Enforcement, Government agencies, and private families through consulting and our search efforts. What this means is that various LE Agencies, private families, attorneys, and government agencies have turned to my SAR expertise, SAR coordination skills, and ability to read air currents, search dogs alerts, scent and scent evidence and I was able to direct search teams to a particular area based on my 52 years of SAR Expertise, which helped them find the missing person(s) alive in the areas I directed them to. Totals; 618 LIVE finds Directly and Assisted indirectly of missing persons. Totals: 505 DIRECT DEAD Finds of Missing persons. 409 Assisted Dead Finds of missing persons. I've assisted the LE and Govt. and private families in finding victims indirectly with my search dogs leading LE and private family members to specific locations. What this means is that various LE Agencies, private families, and government agencies have turned to my SAR expertise, SAR coordination skills, and ability to read air currents, search dogs alerts, scent and scent evidence and I was able to direct search teams to an area which helped them find the missing person dead. Total human victims located dead 914. Total Finds and Assist Finds Live and Dead Humans 1,532 All these cases are documented. Case # assigned. Date, times, locations, names, places, agencies and have been reviewed by the Dept of justice, local law enforcement and other agencies and has been authenticated. All FINDS live, and Dead were witnessed by other law enforcement, SAR members, family members of the victims. Finding just one person alive or dead gives the search dog handler credibility. Harry Oakes has a documented 95% accuracy level at finding the victim or determining what really happened to them and where. P.A.T. (Pet Assisted Therapy calls). Using SAR Dogs to assist humans in their grief loss programs. 115. May-86 To 12-326-2024. Cats search calls 4,361. Dogs search calls 4,979. Total Cats & Dogs (9,340). (Note) Not all calls end up as an Active search. Many of the missing pets are found through Harry consulting with the pet owner(s) and directing their own private search activities. Other animal calls. Lizards calls 25/ Hedge Hogs calls 3/ Pet Rats calls 3 /Otter call 1/Hamsters call 2. 5 full size cows/ Mini Cows call 2/ Turtles/Tortise calls 71/Possum calls 1/ Goats call 8/ Horses 29 /Pet snakes 5 /Raccoons 1 /Skunk 7/ Elephant 1 (grief therapy Oregon Zoo) /Lion 3 /Rabbits 8 /Pet Birds 30/ Llamas 3/ Ferrets 34 /Therapy pig 1./ Suspect ID 50./ Bear hit by a car. 1. /Panda Bear escaped from Zoo in Ca. 1 /shot sea lion./ 2 seal pups, 1 injured deer Baby. (296 other). Total SAR Calls for Pets 9,632. ARTICLES- Wallet -1. I-Phone –7. Briefcase -1. Tile tracker 1. Money missing 1. Stolen bike 1. (12). Total Search calls Requests for People, pets, Teaching K9 SAR, and Article Evidence. Consulting SAR Teams. 15,371. Total searches conducted for missing persons and lost pets. 10,497. Consults of missing persons and lost pets, Evidence. 4,871. Canceled calls. 406. (persons/pets found while we were traveling to the search scene). Total Finds live and dead humans 1,532. Totals Finds live and dead pets, evidence. 3,537. Total finds people, pets live and dead, and article/evidence: 4,912. To date I’ve assisted and made finds on the following: 50 homicides 14 Kidnappings 146 Drownings 3 Bombing Terrorist attacks 21 Earthquake disasters 6 Floods 8 Mudslides 2 Tornados 6 Hurricanes 6 Major Forest wildland fires. Missing persons 167 Suicides. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna11065622 Exposing the truth about the Ward Weaver murders of Ashley Pond and Miranda Gaddis 2002 Oregon City, Ore. Showing I did in fact find their remains. FBI and OCPD ignored the truth. 2021-392-074(C). 03-31-2021 Missing person Grays Harbor, Wa. re Sabrina lynn Cole. Wash. BPX 4786. Team; H. Oakes. SAR Dog Tyler K-9-1. SAR Dog Cindy Lou. Results: Located her body despite Grays Harbor sheriff’s office and SAR dog failing to find her. We were 100% correct in her location. Body recovered where my dogs alerted. 04-05-2021 by Dive team. Court Cases: Testified 09-02-95 Clark Co. Washington. Sheriff’s Dept. DEM#95-1217 Martha, Michael and Crystal Beeson Vancouver, WA. During suspect’s trial, the Clark Co. DA's office qualified me as an expert witness through my training, testing, and qualifications. I testified about scent evidence, our tracks of each subject, and drew a diagram of the route the suspect took with each victim. During a 10-minute recess, the suspect returned and stopped the trial and entered a plea of guilty on all charges. The D.A.'s office said that's the first time they've seen this happen in 10 years. (Search Warrant issued on this case based on the search dog’s findings). Our search dogs were 100% correct. 09-11-2011 Karen Glacier Homicide Medford, Ore. Testified Carolyn Kallay Homicide Clark Co. WA. 95-599-196 11-18-95 Clark Co. (Suspect Convicted). Testified: 05-01-2014 Wrongful death lawsuit expert witness request. Attorney Kevin Hoffman, Tracy Garcia Singer legal.net I testified as Expert Witness regarding Scent, scent evidence, Dog behavior, cold weather death. Virginia. Sally J. Ramsey (Victim). 49, of Hague (Helped Attorneys win a $8,000.000.00-dollar judgment against defendant). Testified 2014 Washington Co. Hillsboro, Oregon re Stolen Dog case against a vet clinic. Case Prep Oct. 2016 Thurston Co. WA. State of Washington Vs. Mr. Clemens. Client for attorney Chris Van Vechten Attorney at Law The Law Office of Chris Van Vechten (DA’s office offered Mr. Clemens a plea bargain after reviewing my testimony). Utube Kyron Horman search. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7I__obUc6fQ These are just SOME of the missing person cases I’ve worked on over the years. Doesn’t include the thousands of lost pet case or evidence cases on crime scenes. Revised 12-31-2024.