AMPWDA to hold Spring K-9 Conference

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

The American Mantrailing, Police & Work Dog Association (AMPWDA) will be hosting its 2019 Spring K-9 Conference in Putnam County from April 29 through May 3.

Search and rescue teams from across the country will train in different locations during the week, earning national certifications and accreditation through the organization in the fields of mantrailing, air scent/live find and human remains detection both on land and in water.

Participants will meet each morning at the Stardust Hills Community Center in Cloverdale at 8:30 a.m. and will hold classes throughout the day and evening. AMPWDA trainers have real-life professional experience in these topics, and have been instructing and serving in these areas for decades across the nation, as well as in Putnam County.

The AMPWDA was started by its founders after serving decades on professional K-9 teams assisting federal, state, county and city police departments on searches for lost or missing persons, fleeing suspects and escapees from jails or prisons and serving as K-9 trainers for the public.

The AMPWDA is celebrating its 10th year and will be training from Cloverdale to Greencastle, and from Van Bibber Lake to Lieber State Park with several places in-between. If residents see dog teams in their area, it will likely be these teams working to earn their national certification.

The AMPWDA would like to thank all who support these teams, who do this voluntarily and without support from outside agencies.

This training would not be possible without the following who have allowed these teams to train on their property for these emergencies: Kim Geiger of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources; Charlie Boller of the Little Walnut Creek Conservancy District; Brenda Dossey, president of the Van Bibber Lake Property Owners Association; Purdue Extension Office; Rex Parker Farms; Don Gedert, property manager of Stardust Hills; the Stardust Hills Owners Association; Charles Inman and the Area 30 Career Center; Rescare and many more.

For more information, persons may visit the AMPWDA website at www.ampwda.com, or contact Tony Keith at 720-8940.

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