When someone goes missing, every moment counts, and having the right team on the ground can make all the difference.

Founded in 2012, Alpha Search and Recovery is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization search and rescue team serving the Clear Lake, greater Houston, Galveston, and other surrounding Texas areas to help search for missing persons.

“Whenever there’s a missing person, we deploy at the request of law enforcement,” said Megan Corona, a volunteer with Alpha Search and Recovery. “Time is really of the essence for us, because the sooner that we can get involved, the better chance we have of the dogs picking up that person’s trail.”

Alpha Search and Recovery is unique in that most of its members are trained canine handlers, giving them capabilities that many other search teams don’t have.

Their dogs specialize in two areas: live-find trailing canines that are trained to follow a missing person’s scent from items such as clothing or personal belongings, and human remains detection canines that are trained to locate the presence of human decomposition odor. This may range from the early stages of decomposition to very old skeletal remains and even down to trace amounts, like drops of blood. The dogs are taught to distinguish human scent from animal remains to allow them to be used in urban, rural, and disaster-affected environments.

Volunteers are the lifeblood of the organization. “We need people to come out and hide for the dogs so they get real-world practice,” Corona said. “Every volunteer helps keep our dogs sharp and ready for actual searches. It’s not just training, it’s lifesaving work.”

The team can be tasked with responding to a very diverse set of situations, including tracking wandering children and elderly people with dementia, aiding in criminal investigations, and assisting in the aftermath of natural disasters such as local flooding. Search operations can involve hazards like contaminated water, unstable structures, wildlife, and other dangers that require proper planning and consideration of safety before entering the field.

Corona also stresses the importance of public awareness. Families sometimes hesitate to report someone missing because of commonly believed myths like needing to wait 24 hours before being able to file anything, but early reporting is essential.

“The sooner law enforcement can respond to a missing persons report and call us to deploy a canine team, the more effective we can be,” Corona said. The team also works to educate law enforcement agencies that may not know about this resource, ensuring faster responses when time is critical.

Alpha Search and Recovery trains regularly in outdoor areas, including the University of Houston – Clear Lake’s nature trails. Volunteers can sign up through Volunteer Houston, earning service-hour credit and gaining hands-on experience with search dogs.

“It’s muddy, messy, and physically demanding,” Corona said. “But it’s also incredibly rewarding. Volunteers are not just participants; they’re essential partners in our mission to bring missing people home.”

For more information on Alpha Search and Recovery, you can call them at (832) 534-2727 or visit their website.