Volunteer rescue workers on St. John and St. Thomas gathered Thursday for a graduation celebration and the expansion of their search and rescue capabilities.
They came to hail two graduates — St. John Rescue Executive Director Valerie Boysen and Kiisa, her chocolate Labrador retriever.
As of Wednesday, the pair had completed a specialized Canine Search and Rescue Program from Top Paw K-9 Academy of Denver, Colorado. Trainer Jennifer Worswick led the training remotely, with members of the Boysen family pitching in by sending video recordings of instructions being carried out.
By Thursday’s celebration, Worswick and Riley — her German Shepherd — were on St. John to join the fete. “It’s a very special day. We are able to honor two special canines today; our trainer’s Colorado dog, Riley, after many years of service in the search and rescue field is finally retiring, and my wife and our dog Kiisa graduated from search and rescue training last night,” said St. John Rescue Vice President Landry Boysen.
Both Landry and St. Thomas Rescue Deputy Chief Abdul Smith said the district’s rescue teams recognized the need for expanded capabilities after a 2024 incident where an ecotour guide went missing near Magens Bay.
The search for the missing man took a turn when the family sent for a canine rescue dog from Florida, Smith said. What took volunteers several days of effort was resolved once the dog reached the search and found a set of human remains within hours.
“Having one locally, it’s going to benefit the whole territory,” the deputy chief said.
Through the training, Landry said, the family learned to read Kiisa’s body language to find out if she clearly understood the commands being given. Worswick commended the Boysen family for showing up for the rigorous remote training schedule daily without fail, in spite of other obligations and on days when energy levels weren’t at their peak.
On Thursday, as gathered attendees watched, the director of St. John Rescue returned the commendation. “Today, we honor not only Riley, but the person behind it all — the teacher, the mentor, the supporter and the driving force that helped turn our dream into a reality,” Valerie Boysen said.
