Members of Carson City's Sheriff's Search and Rescue Team are looking to add a K9 unit, and they're hoping people will run out to support that wish.
The volunteer nonprofit organization that works with the Carson City Sheriff's Department, is sponsoring the 13th annual Trails and Tails run at Spooner Lake on Saturday.
Proceeds from the race, designed for racers to run or walk with their own dogs, will go to creating a K9 unit and training a search dog.
Eric Summers, a rescue volunteer, said the team now relies on a dog from Douglas County to help with some disasters they've been called to, including fires, floods and airplane crashes.
Summers said dogs can use their sense of smell to find someone long before human searchers, who rely mostly on their vision, can.
"I've had a chance to work with dogs and it's amazing what they can do," he said. "They can do the job of six to 10 searchers in the field and 10 times faster if they're trained well. They have an amazing ability to track."
Summers is helping to organize Saturday's run.
The "ruff" run is a 10K race up North Canyon Road and back. There also will be a walk/run for the 2-mile trail around Spooner Lake.
A half-mile race will be available for children, and every participant will receive a prize.
About 30 people have signed up so far, but entries will be taken race day. Participants should meet at the southeast corner of the Spooner Lake State Park main parking lot.
Winners of the adult races in the male and female divisions will each receive a year's worth of free dog food from Nutro.
Second-place will receive a Drink Well package from Veterinary Ventures, and third-place will win an iPod, according to Summers.
The Trails and Tails race was started 13 years ago by a local veterinarian to raise money for animal-related issues, including the Yerington Animal Protection Services, a beneficiary for many years.
- Contact reporter Teri Vance at tvance@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1272.