When devastating earthquakes hit Haiti, Japan and Nepal, rescue dogs were among the first to arrive.
American search-and-rescue teams and their specially trained dogs also helped during U.S. hurricanes Katrina and Sandy.
Ron Sanders and his 6-year old Labarador , Pryse,were part of a U.S. team to help find survivors in Nepal.
Sanders, a retired firefighter, says Pryse and the other special canines, are essential to the team.
“The dogs obviously have a wonderful sense of smell. So they can quickly determine where the scent is coming from and hone in that location that we need to dig down.”
The dogs can also navigate quickly through collapsed buildings and squeeze through tight spots to find victims.
For the dogs, the job is a fun and playful adventure. “They want to go find that person, to play with that person."
But becoming a rescue dog is serious business. To become certified, the dogs train long and hard for six to 12 months.
What helps them get there is lots of practice.
They train in Virginia. A former prison has been made to look like a disaster site.
The dogs learn to follow hand signals and voice commands while running on narrow planks of wood. They go up and down ladders, walk over rough terrain, and search in the rubble for survivors.
Finding one, which they almost always do, is the ultimate reward.