SANTA PAULA, Calif. – When disaster strikes, some of the most important first responders walk on four legs. Specially trained rescue dogs use their powerful noses to detect survivors and bring hope in the darkest moments.
“No technology can match the efficiency of a dog’s nose,” says Denise Sanders, Senior Director of Communications & Search Team Operations. “Their keen sense of smell allows them to pick up scents, whether searching for a live human or someone who has passed.”
The National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, founded nearly 30 years ago after the Oklahoma City bombing, is dedicated to training these life-saving dogs. Wilma Melville, who responded to the tragedy with her own search dog, Murphy, saw the urgent need for more trained rescue teams.
One of the foundation’s most recent deployments was during the Los Angeles fires, where these dogs played a critical role in search-and-rescue efforts.
At the heart of the training is intense, reward-based conditioning. Mandy Tisdale, the foundation’s Director of Canine Behavior and Training, describes it as “a big game of hide and seek” for the dogs. They use their noses to detect the strongest source of odor, then alert rescuers with a bark.
“These dogs have so much energy and drive,” Tisdale says. “By giving them a purpose, we channel their instincts into something incredible—saving lives.”
The biggest reward comes at the end of a search—hopefully, when someone is pulled from the rubble.
Not every dog finds their calling in disaster response, but through the foundation’s Lifetime Care Program, every dog is placed in a home where they can thrive.
Once these dogs are rescued, they never have to be rescued again.
For more information on the non-profit you can head on over to their official website.
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