Urban Search And Rescue Dogs
Have you ever been curious about those life saving dogs that are part of urban search and rescue teams? Then Mitch Wilder, pet specialist, has a film for you! These dogs are used to find victims of earthquakes, mudslides, and building collapses. They are specifically trained to find live human scent. This video has amazing footage of dogs being tested for their search and rescue skills. There are several training facilities throughout the country, which are covered with debris to help the dogs learn how to search under such disaster conditions.
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Step 1:
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Urban Search and Rescue Team
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Izmit, Turkey. Cali, Colombia. New York City. They're all sites of major disasters where many lost their lives. Despite the tragedy, many people survived thanks in part to dogs like Streeter. Streeter is a member of the Metro Dade Urban Search and Rescue Team. This elite force uses canines to find survivors of earthquakes, mudslides, and building collapses.
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Step 2:
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USAR training facilities
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USAR dogs are trained to find specifically confined, live human scent.
The pet report was invited to a USAR training facility in south Florida. The area is covered with rubble to simulate a real disaster. Human decoys are hidden in the pile and it's up to the dog to sniff them out. The USAR team is going to bury me in this downed plane. Let's see if their dogs can find me.
This is a good example of the type of work these rescue dogs do. This is Fancy, she's a part of the USAR rescue team, and she just rescued me. Good girl!
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Step 3:
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Today's play tomorrow's rescue
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These dogs' sense of smell is so acute they can find survivors buried under several feet of concrete. They are also trained to only signal the presence of people who are alive. While rescue work is physically and emotionally difficult for the handlers, for the dogs it's just a chance to play hide and seek. This is a game. This is a humongous hide and seek game. Today Streeter is happy just looking for decoys. Tomorrow he could be half way around the world finding survivors and saving lives.
For The Pet Report, I'm Mitch Wilder.