Rescued Rescue Dog Wins Top ASPCA Award

Last January, i Love Dogs reported on search-and-rescue dogs traveling to Haiti to help after a devastating 7.0 earthquake. Dogs were deployed from all across the globe to help rescue teams sift through the rubble for survivors.

One of those dogs was Pearl, a 4-year-old Labrador Retriever and former California shelter dog who was abandoned by her owner. For her remarkable work and dedication to others, Pearl was named Dog of the Year at the ASPCA’s Canine Humane Awards on October 11. The ASPCA called Pearl, “A true canine hero and a great example of a rescued dog who is now working to rescue others.”

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), Pearl was rescued by volunteers from the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation (SDF) based in Ojai, Calif. Pearl quickly completed her training and certification as a search-and-rescue dog before meeting her handler and life companion, Ron Horetski of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

In January, Pearl and Horetski were deployed as part of the Los Angeles County Task Force 2 (CA-TF2) team to save victims of the Haiti earthquake. The CA-TF2 team spent more than two weeks there, spending hours each day searching for victims trapped alive under the rubble. Pearl, along with six other SDF teams, dug through concrete and debris—as far as four stories below the surface—and helped bring 12 people to safety.

PHOTO : content.usatoday.com