SEARCH DOGS PLAY VITAL ROLE IN

JAPANESE RESCUE EFFORTS

Six teams of rescued dogs specially trained as Search & Rescue dogs working in conjunction with the Fire Fighter handlers, have been deployed to the North East coast of Japan where they have been sent to find survivors buried in the ruins created by the deadly earthquake and tsunami.  The dog teams were mobilized one week ago and have been in Japan since Sunday, March 13^th.  The dogs' mission is to find live victims, conscious or unconscious, in the debris left by the two disasters.

"Every minute counts as the teams work to find people buried beneath the rubble," said Wilma Melville, the association's founder. "After the Haiti deployment, this is a battle-seasoned group. If there are people still alive in the rubble, the dogs will find them. I am so proud of every canine and handler out there."

NDSDF is the only organization in America dedicated to partnering rescued dogs with firefighters at no cost to fire departments to find people trapped in the debris of any nature.  The organization has rescued hundreds of dogs, many on the brink of euthanasia, and trained them to be highly skilled search & rescue canines.