Penn Vet Working Dog Center
Established in 2007, the Penn Vet Working Dog Center, is part of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine and serves as a national research and development center for detection dogs.
With the United States national security under constant threat from attacks, detection dogs are still the best tool that we have to detect and mitigate potential threats. Search dogs are also critical for the detection of victims of natural and man-made disasters.
Our goal is to increase collaborative research, scientific assessment, and shared knowledge and application of the newest scientific findings and veterinary expertise to optimize production of valuable detection dogs.
What We're About:
Advancing Detection Dogs Through Research and Education
- Serve as a consortium to unite programs that employ detection dogs to benefit society throughout the US and around the world.
- Collect and analyzes genetic, behavioral and physical data; and integrates the latest scientific information in order to optimize the success and well-being of detection dogs.
- Prepare for future demands and facilitate research by developing a detection dog breeding/training program that will implement, test, and disseminate the knowledge gained.
Our Team
Cynthia M. Otto, DVM, PhD, Dipl ACVECC
Director, Associate Professor of Critical Care | cmotto@vet.upenn.edu
Dr. Otto, a member of the Pennsylvania Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 1 from 1994 to 2010, began monitoring the health and behavior of Urban Search and Rescue canines in October of 2001 after the 9/11 attacks. This work inspired her to establish the Penn Vet Working Dog Center. She has also been involved in disaster medicine as a member of the Veterinary Medical Assistance Team – 2 since1999.
Dr. Otto is a board-certified emergency and critical care veterinarian and a tenured associate professor of Critical Care at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine and was named Pennsylvania’s 2002 “Veterinarian of the Year” and received an Alumni Recognition Award in 2006.
Sarah Griffith
Assistant Director | griff@vet.upenn.edu
Sarah has worked for Atlantic County Government, for AtlantiCare Behavioral Health, for The Arc of Atlantic County and at Gilda’s Club South Jersey, where she was CEO. She was the first chair of the Atlantic County Women’s Commission and was a volunteer family mediator with the Community Justice Institute for many years. She has served on the boards of local non-profits, including CASA, and also served as the Chair of the Port Republic Environmental Commission in the 1980’s.
Annemarie DeAngelo
Training Manager
Major Annemarie DeAngelo retired from the New Jersey State Police in January of 2012, concluding a distinguished thirty-one year career. She was assigned to patrol, canine, investigation and administration before rising to the command staff positions of Executive Officer in the Homeland Security Branch and Field Operations “Troop C” Commanding Officer. Founder and architect of the New Jersey State Police Canine Unit, Annmarie and her canine partner, Buster, were awarded the National Detector Dog “Case of the Year” for an investigation and scent detection that led to the seizure of 1,200 kilograms of cocaine concealed in a tractor trailer. She was also the recipient of the prestigious Gene Catre Memorial Award.
Pat Kaynaroglu
Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator
A graduate of the University of Northern Colorado, Pat has been a dog handler since 1992, FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Canine Search Specialist, Evaluator, and Instructor. In addition to coordinating the Cody Project, a community service program using school students to train search dogs, Pat has served as director of PA Special Olympics Equestrian Events, director of the Upper Main Line YMCA “Open Doors” Program, as well as president and volunteer coordinator for Lake County Search and Rescue in Colorado.
Kathleen M. Kelsey, MS, MBA
Research Coordinator | kkelsey@vet.upenn.edu
Kathleen graduated from the University of Missouri with an MS in Animal Science and her MBA from Columbia College. Before joining the Penn Vet Working Dog Center, she worked with Purina Mills providing nutritional programs for dog owners across the Midwest and as a Veterinary Technician at a large practice in Kansas City. She has been involved with Urban Search and Rescue since 2003 as a Canine Search Specialist with Missouri Task Force One.
Megan E. Brown
Research Assistant
Megan graduated cum laude in 2009 from West Chester University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Psychology. It was there she became interested in veterinary medicine and research and decided to pursue a career as a veterinary assistant. She joined the Penn Vet Working Dog Center in the summer of 2010.
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