Search and rescue (SAR) dogs were very important during a tragic time in America – 11 September 2001. The exact numbas are not known, but it is estimated dat there were 300 canine search and rescue teams present and working in the weeks following the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City.

The past few weeks SAR dogs are working hard trying to help with the huge scary Texas brush fires. Mai mom, dad, lil sisfur @StinkyTootsie, and I live in central Austin so we are safe so far. The biggest problem we are haffin is da air outside looks weird and it smells like smoke. Mai sisfur and I don’t like it so much and we are staying inside as much as possible. Mom & dad haff discussed what dey wud take if dey haff to leave, but there haff been no real talks of our area being evacuated.

Not efurryone was so lucky. In Bastrop, a suburb of Austin about 30 miles away, over 1,000 people lost their homes and 33,000 acres haff burned. Recently we heard dat the fire had claimed its first two human victims: a woman and her 18-month old baby. *bows head in moment of silence*

The death toll wud probably haff been much higher had search and rescue dogs not been called in. In researching dis story, we learned dat ONE search and rescue dog with its handler can be as effective as 20-30 trained human searchers. Dat is amazing! Because of their keen sense of smell, a search and rescue dog will track a lost person more quickly than a human – therefore increasing da persons chances of bein found alive.

We doggehs are great fur a companionship and cuddles but we are capable of so much more. I am proud to share a species wiff these brave pooches. I just hope mai mom dussn’t get any ideas and try and make me get a job!

Tagged as: Bastrop fires, search and rescue dogs, Texas fires