Hero Dogs: How a Pack of Rescues, Rejects, and Strays Became America's Greatest Disaster-Search Partners

Melville, Wilma; Lobo, Paul

ISBN 10: 1250179912 / ISBN 13: 9781250179913

Published by St. Martin's Press, New York, 2019

About this Item

New Hardcover Signed by Wilma Melville on the Half Title page. Tan boards with gilt lettering on the spine. Includes color and b/w photographs with references, 327 pages. The DJ is New. Seller Inventory # 004474

Bibliographic Details

Title: Hero Dogs: How a Pack of Rescues, Rejects, ...

Publisher: St. Martin's Press, New York

Publication Date: 2019

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: New

Dust Jacket Condition: New

Signed: Signed by Author(s)

Edition: 1st Edition

About this title

Synopsis:

Ana and Hunter were failed service dogs. Recon was left for dead on the train tracks. Cody was returned to the shelter seven times before he turned two. To most, these dogs were unadoptable. Unsalvageable. Irredeemable. To retired gym teacher and grandma Wilma Melville, they were the heroes America needed. While volunteering as a canine search-and-rescue handler during the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, Wilma saw how ill-prepared the country was to respond to disasters. Then and there, beside her loyal Black Lab, Murphy, she made a pact, single handedly founding the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation (SDF) and beginning a journey that would change the face of search-and-rescue in America forever. But even Wilma could not predict how desperately her idea would soon be needed. With 9/11, the scope of disaster response in America changed in an instant, and people across the country realised how crucial these dogs were, launching the SDF to a national stage. In this gripping, heart wrenching story, Wilma and writer Paul Lobo trace the paths of the amazing animals, firefighters, and volunteers who brought Wilma's dream to fruition. They recount struggles and triumphs as the dogs and their handlers face off with hurricanes, bombings, and other staggering disasters. Along the way, we witness the unshakeable bonds that develop between humans and these remarkable dogs.

About the Author:

Wilma Melville is a retired Physical Education instructor, grandmother, and founder of the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation. Still active within the Foundation, she serves on the Board of Directors and is involved with the planning of the National Training Center. Paul Lobo is a software engineer, army veteran, and writer of fiction and nonfiction. He has been involved with the SDF for over a year.