With the number of disasters happening this year, it’s important to keep in mind some very important facts about search and rescue dogs and their handlers. The majority of the search dog handlers in the nation are volunteers. Whether they are with a local search and rescue team, a state task force or a FEMA team, these people have spent hours and thousands of their own dollars training for deployments just like this.
Search dogs are an important part of the search, rescue and recovery of loved ones. They have the ability to cover large areas, navigate where humans can not go, and pinpoint where that missing person may be so that rescuers can work to get them out. They practice ignoring all of the scents you may find in a disaster setting (food, other animals) to find human scent. These dogs and their handlers, undergo constant training and usually deploy with a large team.
As these furry heroes and their human partners are scouring the debris for those who are missing, keep all emergency responders in your thoughts and prayers.