About Us
The Terror Dog Story
The Terror Dog Squad are a not-for-profit cosplay group bringing the thrill of Ghostbusters to our community while raising awareness for fantastic kids and family charities like Make-A-Wish and Toys for Tots. We participate in a variety of events—parades, community gatherings, birthday parties, and more—bringing entertainment and inspiring both kids and adults to dream big! Through the excitement and inspiration we bring, we create meaningful connections that resonate with our community. ​​
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​We are available for parties, events and fundraisers. We do not accept payment but ask that you make a donation in our name to one of our charities.
The Terror Dog Story
The Terror Dog Squad originated in 2020 as The Grid: A Cosplay Odyssey, a collective for fans of various franchises dedicated to serving their communities through charity-focused cosplay. In the summer of 2021, following a Star Wars cosplay photoshoot in Nevada, founding member Kevin Devine proposed the idea of exploring the Ghostbusters fandom to the group. Several months later, with Michael Paradela’s help, the team acquired their costumes and equipment. Around the same time, Chris Lopez received a call from someone searching for Ghostbusters props and costumes. After seeing what the group had, she contacted her friend Aaron Self from the Northern California Ghostbusters: Sacramento Division (now known as the 916 Ghostbusters), the two groups teaming up.
Driven by a desire to serve the community and support local charities, The Grid members and Aaron decided to split off and research charitable causes to get involved with. After completing a Star Wars-Ghostbusters themed wedding gig, they knew the Ghostbusters fandom was the right path and never looked back. Several weeks later, members Christopher Lopez and Adam Doria were guests on the November 8, 2021 episode of Distance NERDing's The Build for Ghostbusters month.
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Kevin coined the team’s name as something easily identifiable from the original film, and that almost everyone loves dogs. By year's end, Sacramento Ghostbusters members Lee Briesmeister and George Young joined, further enhancing their mission to engage in cosplay while giving back
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​After joining the team, Lee Briesmeister, a professional branding graphic designer, created the team logo as a birthday gift for a fellow member. The team was so impressed with the logo that they decided to adopt it as their official emblem.
By the end of 2021 and into early 2022, the group collaborated with the Sacramento Ghostbusters at various events, including Fairytale Town and the Crocker Art Museum. This partnership led to the team being invited to join their Sacramento Ghostbusters B-Squad and Auxiliary Team, where they worked alongside Sacramento Ghostbusters founding members Andrew Whatley and Alexander Ortega to actively serve the Greater Sacramento Area community. With the support of the Sacramento Ghostbusters, the Terror Dog Squad eventually branched off as its own entity. In late 2022, Aaron Spicer established a partnership with Toys for Tots to launch the “Save Christmas!” initiative, which has become a cherished annual tradition at the heart of the Terror Dog Squad. In just the first three years, the group collected over 3,700 toys, and we look forward to continuing this impactful work.
The Sacramento Ghostbusters are part of the fabric of our group’s DNA. We’ve welcomed several of their members, including Robert Crislip, who has been instrumental in enhancing our leadership and outreach to include Make-A-Wish and other charities. We’ve continued this collaboration and expanded our team to include members from other groups, such as the renowned Charlie Rivera from the New York and Long Island Ghostbusters!
In 2024, the group welcomed new members who truly embody the heart and soul of the Terror Dog Squad, including Todd Williams and Timothy Carlson. Among the wave of new members are our dedicated social media team: Michael Phariss, Frankie Nagayo, and Mia Garcia. Their passion drives them to generously invest their time in capturing our mission through stunning photos and videos. Together with talented founding photographers Claire Meloy, Kristene Lopez, and Gina Oliveira, they create captivating content for our website and social media. Their commitment to filming and editing our events beautifully showcases the spirit of the Terror Dog Squad, allowing us to share our impact and connect with the community in meaningful ways.
Matthew Habermann of the New York City Ghostbusters recently joined the team after moving from New York to California, bringing a kind-hearted and fun-loving spirit to the Terror Dog Squad. His presence adds a fresh sense of camaraderie and friendship to the group. Alongside Kristene Lopez, he played a key role in creating the Slime Lab Mobile Unit Project, one of our most popular attractions at events, where children and their parents can engage in slime-making and take home their creations. Matthew’s unwavering commitment to the values of the Terror Dog Squad makes him an invaluable member of the team.
With so many members pouring their unique talents and hearts into the team and the community, it’s truly a challenge to capture all the incredible contributions and amazing individuals who support our mission. We want to recognize everyone involved, as each person plays a vital role in our journey. Together, they are the ones writing this beautiful story, weaving a tapestry of kindness and service that inspires us all.
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We are committed to providing charitable support and performing acts of kindness whenever possible. This mission is one we’ve chosen to embrace, and we cherish every moment of it!
“Like that bunny on TV, we just keep going and going and going. Chasing the music. Trying to get home…”
—Frankie Valli
Meet The Team
Terror Dog Squad Vehicles
Ecto-B
Ecto-HD
Ecto Responder and Micro-Ecto
EctoFun
Ecto-B4
Our Charities
