Karwoski, Langer. Search and Rescue Dogs.

Karwoski, Langer.  Search and Rescue Dogs.  Capstone Publishers  2014  32p  ISBN 978-1-4765-0131-4      elem/ms   E-BNS  Nonfiction       

Many dogs have jobs and work with human partners to create a Search and Rescue (SAR) Team.  These SAR teams are sent to disaster sites to help find and recover survivors and victims.    Most informative, this book captures the reader early on by presenting information about four-legged heroes at the World Trade Center disaster.  The especially sensitive noses of dogs allowed them to scent out people who needed rescuing.  The history of SAR teams and dogs specifically is presented with a lot of colorful photographs, some more relevant to the text than others.  Sidebars are found throughout the book, highlighting interesting facts, like the fact that survivors are most often found within 24 hours (p. 23), and “An Inspiring Dog” (p. 17).  The text is informative and direct, with highlighted words defined both at the bottom of each page and in the glossary at the end of the book.  There is a list for further reading (print and web) and an index.  

This series of four books about Dogs on the Job presents dogs in the role of work dog rather than household pet.  The books are informative and colorful, and will find a sure audience with elementary-age students.

Summary: Many dogs have jobs and work with human partners to create a Search and Rescue (SAR) Team.  These SAR teams are sent to disaster sites to help find and recover survivors and victims. 

Search dogs                                                       --Lynn Fisher