Lola was a buckshot-riddled stray, lost on a Memphis highway. Cody was rejected from seven different homes. Ace had been sprayed with mace and left for dead on a train track. They were deemed unadoptable. Untrainable. Unsalvageable. These would become the same dogs America relied on when its worst disasters hit. In 1995, Wilma Melville volunteered as a canine search-and-rescue (SAR) handler with … (SAR) handler with her Black Labrador Murphy in the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing. At the time, there were only fifteen FEMA certified SAR dogs in the United States. Believing in the value of these remarkable animals to help save lives, Wilma knew many more were needed in the event of future major disasters. She made a vow to help 168 dogs receive search-and-rescue training in her lifetime–one for every Oklahoma City victim.
Wilma singlehandedly established the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation (SDF) to meet this challenge. The first canine candidates–Ana, Dusty, and Harley–were a trio of golden retrievers with behavioral problems so severe the dogs were considered irredeemable and unadoptable. But with patience, discipline, and love applied during training, they proved to have the ability, agility, and stamina to graduate as SARs. Paired with a trio of firefighters, they were among the first responders searching the ruins of the World Trade Center following 9/11–setting the standard for the more than 168 of the SDF’s search-and-rescue dogs that followed.
Beautiful and heart-wrenching, Hero Dogs is the story of one woman’s dream brought to fruition by dedicated volunteers and firefighters–and the bonds they forged with the incredible rescued-turned-rescuer dogs to create one of America’s most vital resources in disaster response.
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If you’re a dog lover, this book will make you smile and cry at the same time. The story of one woman’s determination to build a service our country needs–reliable rescue dogs, trained to find survivors of unspeakable tragedies–will warm your heart and reaffirm your faith in humanity,
In 1995, when news spread of the Oklahoma City bombing, 61-year-old Wilma Melville jumped at the opportunity to help and she had Murphy in tow, her trained and certified disaster-search canine. Murphy could detect human life even when it was trapped away from sight, and he could do this in a variety of environments. “Dogs were faster than any artificial technology at finding live people buried in rubble. With enough trained dogs in enough places, they had the potential to put human lives back on the board when disaster struck.” But upon returning home, Wilma reflected on how few search dogs were available (only 15 at the time). So she vowed to increase that number significantly. Her personal goal was to prepare 168 trained search-and-rescue canines for disaster-search work, one for every victim of the bombing. Thus, the birth of the SDF (National Disaster Search Dog Foundation).
Hero Dogs: How a Pack of Rescues, Rejects, and Strays Became America’s Greatest Disaster-Search Partners passionately discusses the SDF while showing the reality of nonprofits. It’s also a tribute to all the named and unnamed people that helped along the way. But ultimately, it follows several high-energy dogs who were rescued from shelters, trained and put to work. They are the true characters of this book in more ways than one! You’ll learn their names, personalities, tear-jerking histories, and watch them in action during 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, California mudslides, and the 2010 Haiti earthquake where a room full of women were completely buried but found alive thanks to these adorable snouts.
I absolutely loved this book. It was incredibly informative and entertaining, but also emotional due to remembering these horrific events. Overall, I learned so much about working canines in general. There are so many jobs out there for dogs that just can’t seem to contain their energy (and behavior) in a family home, and sadly end up surrendered time and again with euthanasia on the horizon. But thanks to one woman’s vision, these funny and heartwarming rescues become the rescuers. That’s what I call paying it forward! Check it out.
This is a very inspirational true story about Wilma Melville to to author Paul Lobo and Narrated by Xe Sands and both author and narrator did an excellent job. Paul Lobo got all the facts from Wilma Melville SAR) handler with her Black Labrador Murphy in the aftermath bombing of the Oklahoma City bombing. There were only fifteen FEMA certified SAR dogs in the United States and she believed the value of these remarkable dogs saving lives and knew more dogs were needed. Wilma made a vow to look for 168 dog for a search and rescue training for each person who died in Oklahoma. She was 62 years old at the time and I was amazed what she accomplished with establishing the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation (SDF) starting with three golden retrievers named Ana, Dusty and Harley, they all had different behavioral problems but with training, discipline, patience and love they became heroes. I had a golden retriever myself for 15 1/2 years and when he was 9 years old I had him certified as a therapy dog and know how well they can help people. After training to have proved to have the ability, agility, and stamina to graduate as SARs. they were paired with a trio of firefighters, rescue workers and handlers.
An excellent read. This is about a man who lost effective use of his sight and his learning, to rely on his guide dog. One of the many facets that really makes this book interesting and inspiring, is that this man was employed on one of the upper floors, of the World Trade Center, at the time of 9/11 and his experiences, is the escape made by him and his guide dog, to safety.