Pat Abrams, along with her husband, Joe, founded Sarasota K-9 Search and Rescue, a team of highly trained volunteers partnering with search and rescue dogs to find the lost and serve the community. The team specializes in wilderness search and rescue for Florida and Southeastern environments of dense brush, wetlands and high temperatures. Over 10,000 volunteer hours are given each year by the team.

Missions include searching for missing persons, water recovery and evacuations for wildfires, floods, hurricanes and persons of special needs. The skills of the volunteers and K-9s are diverse, making the team a valued resource to any community. In 2003, the team received the Governor's First Responder Award for their skill and effort in rescue missions.

Sarasota K-9 Search and Rescue has participated in a variety of missions including the recovery of the Space Shuttle in Texas and, recently, the Carlie Brucia case here in our own hometown. The team is also proud to provide educational programs and public relations programs to area schools and groups of all kinds. Programs include responsible pet ownership, preparing pets for a disaster, pet therapy visits to hospitals and nursing homes, and "Hug A Tree," a program designed to help teach children how to be safe and how to assist in their own recovery should they ever become lost. The team’s K-9s assist in the teaching; their presence makes a big impact and really captures the children's attention. Overall, Sarasota K-9 Search and Rescue is dedicated to the safety of our children and the overall safety of our community.

Pat and Joe Abrams and the entire team are all volunteers. Members come from all professions, from police officers and firefighters, to registered nurses, to homemakers. Each team member is dedicated to make a difference.

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