This Shelter Dog Was Rejected by Everyone—Now He’s a Lifesaving Hero with a Second Chance You Won’t Believe!
Amid the chaos and destruction of the Los Angeles wildfires, a special group of heroes went to work—search and rescue dogs. As flames tore through communities, these highly trained dogs risked it all, using their powerful noses and unwavering instincts to find survivors and bring hope to devastated families.
Ridge was one of the search and rescue dogs deployed to Los Angeles in the wake of the deadly wildfires. A four-year-old black Labrador Retriever, Ridge had a difficult path before becoming the heroic working dog he is today. Found as a stray in Tooele County, Utah, Ridge was adopted from the shelter not once but twice by families that simply couldn’t manage his energy or his uncanny ability to escape from almost anywhere.
Ridge’s final stay at the shelter followed an escape from his second family’s home. Either too fed up with his endless energy or through pure neglect, the family never even searched for Ridge when he ran away and he only returned to the shelter after being found as a stray for a second time.
Just when it looked like Ridge might be “too much” for a regular adopter, a recruiter for the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation (SDF) noticed him at the Tooele City Animal Shelter. Recognizing the potential, the recruiter suspected Ridge’s energy might just need to be channeled, and Ridge was officially transferred to the SDF training center in California.
Too Much Energy For Adopters, Just Right For Search & Rescue Training
The Search Dog Foundation is a non-profit that trains rescued and recruited dogs in search and rescue dogs who are paired with first responders around the U.S. at no cost. “SDF recruits dogs from across the country that are rescued from abuse or abandonment. Typically these dogs demonstrate high energy, tenacity, and boldness, making them ideal for search and rescue, but unsuitable for a family pet,” says the Search Dog Foundation mission statement. “After passing stringent screening and testing criteria, the dogs are then trained to harness that high energy, drive, and tenacity into life-saving skills.”
During his screening, Ridge proved to be a natural. Agile, intelligent, and attentive, Ridge learned quickly and picked up on training with little effort. Intense and focused, Ridge excelled in the SDF training program and graduated with flying colors. In 2024, Ridge was paired with Eric Lieuwen, a firefighter and member of California Task Force 7, a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue team from Sacramento. Ridge and Eric bonded immediately, and the two have been building trust and learning to work together ever since.
In mid-January, Ridge and Eric deployed to Los Angeles County to help search for survivors and victims of the wildfires. Together with many other canine search and rescue teams, the pair worked for over a month scouring rubble and navigating the dangerous environment to assist in recovery efforts. Once given up for being too tenacious and energetic, Ridge has found his calling and the perfect job to channel his energy.
How Search & Rescue Dogs Help During Wildfires
Search and rescue dogs are an invaluable resource for first responders during natural disasters. Dogs can traverse difficult terrain and dangerous environments more easily and safely than humans. For example, a dog can sweep through the rubble of a burned house without disturbing the remains whereas a human might be too heavy or clumsy.
Because dogs search for humans with their noses rather than their eyes, they can also work much more quickly than humans and with far more accuracy. A dog can smell a human under a giant pile of rubble where they could never be found with just the naked eye.
Search and rescue canine teams help to find and recover missing survivors and victims, and can specialize in finding human remains, live humans, or both. Disaster-trained search and rescue dogs can also specialize in certain types of disasters. For example, some may be adept at smelling human scent even in the water and may specialize in hurricane or flood recovery.
