Service Animals - Search, Rescue, And Recovery

Search and rescue (SAR) and body recovery work are performed by a variety of public service agencies in conjunction with private organizations. Animals that assist in SAR work are generally considered very valuable and noble by modern societies. These animals, primarily dogs, use natural and learned behaviors to help find missing humans, rescue people in danger, and recover bodies after disasters strike.

Many of the talents that were bred into dogs to assist in hunting, fishing, and herding have proved very useful in SAR tasks. For example, dogs originally bred to track down animals during hunting are now used to track down missing people. These dogs help find escaped criminals, kidnap victims, children that have wandered away, lost hikers, and many other people in need. Historians believe that bloodhounds were first used for "mantrailing" during the sixteenth century.

Newfoundland dogs were originally valued by Canadian fishermen because they showed a natural ability to retrieve items and people that fell overboard. Today they patrol European beaches along with human lifeguards. Saint Bernards were bred from sturdy cow-herding dogs in Switzerland. Monks living in the snow-covered mountains used the dogs to find lost travelers and people buried in avalanches. German shepherds were bred to be intelligent, diligent, and hardworking sheepherders. These traits are useful in a variety of SAR operations. In fact, some SAR agencies accept only German shepherds into their training programs.

According to the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR), there are hundreds of SAR dog units across the country. The breeds most often used for this work are German shepherds, Dobermans, Rottweilers, golden retrievers, giant Schnauzers, and Labrador retrievers.

One of the most remarkable displays of SAR dogs in action occurred after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. More than 350 dogs scoured the rubble of the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York City, along with their human trainers, looking for survivors and corpses. Dog units participated from all over the United States and from foreign countries. The work was very difficult. SAR dogs suffered from paw cuts and burns, dehydration, burning eyes, and psychological stress. Some handlers reported that their dogs became depressed after not finding any live victims and could not eat or sleep normally. Campaigns were begun to collect donated booties and other items needed by the SAR dogs who participated in helping during the 9/11 aftermath, and donations poured in from around the world.