Dogs do a great deal of very useful work, often helping people who are blind, deaf or who have mobility problems. Others work in law enforcement, sniffing our drugs, explosives or unwanted agricultural products.
Cadaver dogs have a very special role, helping families find their lost loved ones:
Carbon County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Wally Hendricks organizes the cadaver dog program for Utah. Most volunteers who participate have a search and rescue or other law enforcement background, Morse said.
There are about seven teams of dogs and handlers who are called upon to help with searches, Morse said. Most of the dogs are border collies and Labrador retrievers, but any dog with the right personality and training can learn to be a good search animal, she said.
Despite what can be a grueling task, the dogs often think the search activities are a game, Morse said.
“It’s fun for the dog. They want to continue to hunt,” she said, noting dogs are rewarded by their handlers when picking up on scents during the search process.
She said handlers are careful to make sure their dogs don’t become overworked and have plenty of water during long search days.
[Via : Cadaver dogs aid agencies in searches for missing - Salt Lake Tribune.]
Sorry, but thanks to a current flood of spam comments are temporarily closed. If you have a genuine comment please use the Contact form.
