Arc Aspicio Sponsors Twelfth Search Dog and Handler Team

Arlington, VA, July 19, 2025 — Arc Aspicio announced its successful sponsorship of a twelfth search dog and handler team with the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation (SDF). In total, the company has raised more than $130,000 for this non-profit organization, which rescues dogs and then trains them to rescue people from disaster sites.

The SDF identified a black lab rescue dog named Raya to have her join an elite group of search dogs and their first responder handlers in supporting wildfires, building collapses, and other emergencies after she strengthens her skills in obedience, search and rescue, and direction control. After an initial training period, SDF paired Raya with Tulsa Fire Department Firefighter Austin Addington. She lives with the Addington family as she continues her ongoing training with the Handler Training Program.

“Thank you to our employees who led the fundraising effort as we continue our long-term partnership with the SDF,” said Samantha Uditsky, Arc Aspicio’s community involvement executive. “This collaboration reflects our shared love for dogs and our appreciation of the SDF’s mission of training search and rescue dogs, which aligns with one of our mission areas — homeland security and emergency management.”

Of the twelve dogs the company sponsored, ten completed SDF’s rigorous training program and have deployed to the field with their handlers. Two dogs have been adopted through SDF’s Lifetime Care program. SDF pairs the dogs with handlers and obtains Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) certification so they can deploy to disaster sites nationwide.

Currently, SDF has more than 100 active search teams operating under state and local agencies throughout the U.S. They have collectively deployed to more than 285 disasters.

SDF is a non-profit organization that started after the events of the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. They find rescue dogs with a talent for search and rescue, train them, provide medical care, and partner them with first responders in state and local emergency management and urban search and rescue organizations once they receive FEMA certification. SDF then tracks the search dog teams as they are deployed to respond to natural disasters and other major incidents.

Through a long-term partnership with SDF starting in 2010, Arc Aspicio has been able to give once-forgotten dogs an active, happy, and secure life in service to the U.S.

In addition to fundraising and pro bono projects for the SDF and other organizations, Arc Aspicio encourages all employees to give back with eight paid volunteer hours a year to support any non-profit organization of their choice.

Contact Information
Lynn Ann Casey
Chief Executive Officer
lac@arcaspicio.com
1.703.465.2060