First responder dogs from various military and law enforcement units showed off their in-bred talents on Saturday, March 15 — Los Angeles K9 Veterans Day — with a working dog demonstration onboard the Battleship Iowa in San Pedro.
LA County search and rescue specialist Louis Gudiel releases his K9 partner, Gordon, to find a live person during a demonstration at a K9 Veterans Day event in San Pedro on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
LA County Fire search and rescue K9 Gordon barks as he finds a volunteer acting as a trapped person in a barrel during demonstrations at a K9 Veterans Day event in San Pedro on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
Manhattan Beach Police K9 Troy sniffs around a pallet as he searches for bullet casings, hidden in a glass jar under the pallet, during demonstrations at a K9 Veterans Day event in San Pedro on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
An LAPD dog handler swirls K9 Bentley around after being bitten for a demonstration at a K9 Veterans Day event in San Pedro on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
Glendale Police officer Austin Stapp plays with his dog, Storm, during a K9 Veterans Day event in San Pedro on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
An LAPD dog handler swirls K9 Bentley around after being bitten for a demonstration at a K9 Veterans Day event in San Pedro on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
A US Marine Corps K9 trainer gets bitten by a military working dog during demonstrations at a K9 Veterans Day event in San Pedro on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
A Border Patrol food detection beagle sniffs at various pieces of luggage during a demonstration at a K9 Veterans Day event in San Pedro on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
A Border Patrol food detection beagle finds a pack of bacon in some luggage during a demonstration at a K9 Veterans Day event in San Pedro on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
A Border Patrol food detection beagle paws at a bag of fruits during a demonstration at a K9 Veterans Day event in San Pedro on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
California Assemblymember Mike Gipson speaks onboard the USS Iowa during a K9 Veterans Day event in San Pedro on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
An LA County Fire search and rescue team speaks on-stage at the USS Iowa during a K9 Veterans Day event in San Pedro on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
A team of US Border Patrol agents with their food detection dogs take a photo in front of the main guns of the USS Iowa during a K9 Veterans Day event in San Pedro on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
A team of US Marine Corps security personnel from Camp Pendleton with their dogs take a photo in front of the USS Iowa during a K9 Veterans Day event in San Pedro on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
LA City Councilmember TIm McOsker speaks onboard the USS Iowa during a K9 Veterans Day event in San Pedro on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
An LAPD K9 handler shows off police dog Bentley to a crowd of onlookers during demonstrations for a K9 Veterans Day event in San Pedro on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
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LA County search and rescue specialist Louis Gudiel releases his K9 partner, Gordon, to find a live person during a demonstration at a K9 Veterans Day event in San Pedro on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
Dogs from the Los Angeles Fire Department, Los Angeles Police Department, L.A. County Fire, California Highway Patrol, L.A. County Sheriff, and various other law enforcement agencies along with military units representing the U.S. Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard took part.
The military’s K9 Corps was created on March 13, 1942, and National K9 Veterans Day has expanded to recognize the service and sacrifice of all first responder working dog teams.
This family-friendly event honored the heroic working dog teams from first responder agencies that perform security and life-saving missions every day throughout Los Angeles County. Missions supported by working dog teams include pursuing and apprehending dangerous suspects; detecting weapons, narcotics, explosives, and other illegal items; search and rescue; and protecting ports and military bases.
Attendees also learned what it takes to be a canine handler.
Special honor and recognition was paid to the search and rescue dog teams that deployed in support of the Palisades and Eaton fires.
