Zen, a 5-year-old border collie, circled around a mound of snow as he picked up a scent, his quick movements signaling to his handler that someone was buried deep below. Zen has been a rescue dog for three years, and on this day he was helping train 20 other dogs being certified for avalanche rescue in the Italian Dolomites. The role of dogs in Italian Alpine rescues is becoming more important, as the number of people caught by avalanches increases—up by 50% over the past 25 years, per the AP.
- Stats: Avalanches involving people who need rescue in Italy have doubled since the turn of the century, from a rolling average of 30 a year to 60, per the AINEVA snow and avalanche monitoring service. During the same period, the number of excursionists struck on average also increased significantly, from 65 a year to 110 a year.
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