Photo: Dane Mehl/Search Dog Foundation
Forrest believes in returning the favor.
The blackLabradorretriever was rescued from Oregon last year and wasted no time trying to find a way to help others. In August, Forrest started training to become a certified search and rescue dog at theNational Disaster Search Dog Foundation’s Santa Paula, California, facility.
Dane Mehl/Search Dog Foundation
For Forrest, the rugged, dusty, noisy, and rocky work required of a search dog to successfully find and rescue people from disasters came easily. According to Farmers Insurance, which helped match the Lab with SDF, the “gentle giant” is “a very big dog who is light on his feet,” and the 100-pound pooch “made fast work of training.”
“Forrest did very well, showing trainers every day that he loved to hunt (and to bark)! He was also introduced to building searches, where his confidence soared, and he thrives. Forrest loves to use his nose to hunt — it’s one of the most rewarding things for him. Trainers also played with him on the rubble with the toy to show him that being on the uneven surface of the concrete can be fun. Forrest has become incredibly confident in finding his footing and enjoyed all the elements of training,” the statement from Farmer’s Insurance added.
To learn more about Search Dog Foundation and how the nonprofit saves rescue dogs and then teaches these canines how to rescue others,visit the organization’s website.
source: people.com
