Overview

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, singlehandedly 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 realized how crucial these dogs were, launching the SDF to a national stage. In this gripping, heartwrenching 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.

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9781250179913

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Reviews

A harrowing, often heartbreaking, yet inspirational tale as Melville eloquently explores the small victories and wrenching losses of the dogs' much-needed work. --Publishers Weekly This book has wit, warmth, and humor but also moments of heartbreak and tears of joy scattered throughout. It is a testament to what a dream can become and how it takes a group of committed people to realize it. Readers will fall in love with the descriptions of the various rescue dogs and delight in the personalities, of both the people and the animals, that jump off the page. --Library Journal [An] astonishing story....Melville shares her story in straight-talking prose that evokes the tension and emotion reflective of the high stakes. She is also slyly funny, offering delightfully ironic thoughts on dog humor. When the pilot teams are thrust into the national limelight during their first real-life disaster on 9/11, the results are both triumphant and throat-closing. A fascinating read for animal lovers, thrill-seekers and rescue-hounds alike, Melville's work is proof that some good can rise from the ashes of catastrophe. --Shelf Awareness

A harrowing, often heartbreaking, yet inspirational tale as Melville eloquently explores the small victories and wrenching losses of the dogs' much-needed work. --Publishers Weekly This book has wit, warmth, and humor but also moments of heartbreak and tears of joy scattered throughout. It is a testament to what a dream can become and how it takes a group of committed people to realize it. Readers will fall in love with the descriptions of the various rescue dogs and delight in the personalities, of both the people and the animals, that jump off the page. --Library Journal [An] astonishing story....Melville shares her story in straight-talking prose that evokes the tension and emotion reflective of the high stakes. She is also slyly funny, offering delightfully ironic thoughts on dog humor. When the pilot teams are thrust into the national limelight during their first real-life disaster on 9/11, the results are both triumphant and throat-closing. A fascinating read for animal lovers, thrill-seekers and rescue-hounds alike, Melville's work is proof that some good can rise from the ashes of catastrophe. --Shelf Awareness

A harrowing, often heartbreaking, yet inspirational tale as Melville eloquently explores the small victories and wrenching losses of the dogs' much-needed work. --Publishers Weekly This book has wit, warmth, and humor but also moments of heartbreak and tears of joy scattered throughout. It is a testament to what a dream can become and how it takes a group of committed people to realize it. Readers will fall in love with the descriptions of the various rescue dogs and delight in the personalities, of both the people and the animals, that jump off the page. --Library Journal

A harrowing, often heartbreaking, yet inspirational tale as Melville eloquently explores the small victories and wrenching losses of the dogs' much-needed work. --Publishers Weekly

Author Information

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.

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