Ana, a female Golden Retriever, was born on Independence Day, July 4, 1995. She was very special to all of us at the Search Dog Foundation as the first dog in our program.
Ana was in a litter that we call “a backyard breeding.” The owners of Ana’s mom were asked not to breed the dog to just any Golden, but to allow the breeder to choose the best stud dog. However, to save money, the folks went ahead and bred Ana’s mom to an unregistered Golden. The litter was then sold without any regard to proper placement of the pups—not an uncommon occurrence.
Ana was very energetic and impossibly active. Relegated to the backyard, she did what most pups do: barked a lot and dug up every plant in sight. She got thrown out of a couple of homes but, just before being shipped off to a local shelter, Ana came to the attention of the original breeder of Ana’s mom. Knowing that she had little time and that Ana’s future was in doubt, this breeder was able to take Ana to a friend, Bonnie Bergin. Bonnie served as the Executive Director of the Assistance Dog Institute in Rohnert Park, California, a program that trains canines to assist disabled persons.
In very short order, Bonnie could tell that this handsome youngster had too much energy for most people to deal with—especially a wheelchair-user. Bonnie quickly called SDF founder Wilma Melville. Wilma told Bonnie of her new plan: to professionally train dogs with high drive to become search dogs, train firefighters to become search dog handlers, and offer the team to fire departments at no cost. All agreed that Ana was a perfect match for this new foundation, and that’s how Ana became SDF’s first search dog.
Ana got more than our usual six months of preparation at Sundowners Kennel in Gilroy because one dog in that first group was slower than the other two. All three had to graduate from Sundowners at the same time, so Ana got an extra helping of training. At graduation, Ana was paired with Rick Lee, a Fire Captain with the City of Sacramento. The two couldn’t be better suited for each other. Ana was wonderfully responsive and Rick was a good handler. In fact, he is one of our true success stories as Rick had never owned a dog prior to Ana. But what a fine addition she made to this man’s life! Ana enjoyed a happy family life with Rick, his wife, and their teenage son.
Rick and Ana achieved Advanced Certification from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after just seven months of training. This is the highest level recognized in the United States. They were deployed to search at Ground Zero after 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and a building collapse in Sacramento. They have taught and supported many new teams through the years, and set the highest standard for all to follow. Ana will be greatly missed by all of us, but her legacy lives on in a new generation of search dogs.
Captain Rick Lee:
“We had absolutely no idea what we were getting into when we started the program—the level of responsibility, the time commitment, or the impact it would have on our lives. As the first handlers in SDF’s program, we were driven to prove ourselves to the search and rescue community.
After four years of training, in 2001 we were deployed to the World Trade Center. By mid-afternoon on September 11th we were flying under military F-16 fighter jet escort. The experience at Ground Zero was devastating. Life there was heartbreaking, horrific—a treacherous challenge for rescuers. During the days that followed there were agonizing hours wondering where and when we would be needed. Then suddenly we would be called, when areas were uncovered that only the canines could search. Ana traversed the twisted metal, often over void spaces so large it was like walking on a high wire. Then there were spaces so small the dogs could barely fit.
The canines’ speed in clearing an area enabled rescuers to move more quickly on to other areas. As the dogs searched, all of the rescuers silently waited. The other firefighters were amazed at the dogs’ skills. All their training was paying off. We never dreamed we would have this much responsibility.
Ana never lacked confidence, not for a single moment. She had boundless energy and enthusiasm. She gracefully negotiated the twisted terrain as if it were another day in the park. She performed beyond her training and my expectations. I know that Pluis Davern, her trainer, would have been very proud to see her student fly across this debris. I know I was.
We will be forever grateful to the Search Dog Foundation for the experiences, and the life-long friendships these experiences have given us. The new handlers will need to have a passion for the SDF program, not just for their dogs. They’ll need to understand all the responsibilities involved—someday they may be making life or death decisions. With their training from SDF, they’ll be up to the challenge.”
SDF Founder Wilma Melville:
“Ana’s importance to SDF’s fledgling program cannot be overstated. I was looking for a model both in the selection of dogs and in training them for disaster search that would be successful and could be replicated. Ana’s amazing agility, bubbly personality and “can-do” attitude were just what I was looking for.
Rick’s wife Luann and his teenage son have loved and cared for Ana like a member of the family. Their support of Rick and Ana, even when sacrifices had to be made, set a high standard for other search team families to follow. Harley and Dusty, her classmates, have passed on, leaving Ana as the first to be recruited and the last to leave us.”
