The Virginia Search and Rescue Dog Association (VSRDA) is the Southeast's oldest air scenting wilderness search dog unit. VSRDA is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at no charge to the requesting agency. VSRDA is a member of the American Rescue Dog Association (ARDA), the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR), and the Commonwealth of Virginia Search and Rescue Council (VASARCO).

VSRDA is a highly skilled volunteer canine search and rescue unit that utilizes specially trained dogs to locate missing persons in wilderness, disaster, human remains and water search and rescue/recovery missions. Each dog/handler team trains for a minimum of one year before becoming operational to insure a professional level of performance.

Each handler is certified in Advanced First Aid or as an Emergency Medical Technician. Handlers are also required to qualify in areas such as; land navigation, wilderness survival, search strategy and tactics, missing person behavior, and terrain analysis.

Each dog works towards certification in various wilderness conditions. Dogs are also required to pass obedience and agility tests in addition to all their search and rescue training.

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