If you get lost, the best person to find you may not be a person at all. Due to their keen olfactory sense, dogs have a superpower that humans don’t. Jane Servais, president of Mid-Atlantic Dogs, a search and rescue organization says, “Dogs can smell what you had for dinner last night, what fabric softener you use, and can separate all the components of scent in the way humans can distinguish colors.”
Supported by BGE’s Community Safety Grants, the canine heroes of Mid-Atlantic Dogs work alongside law enforcement and emergency management agencies throughout Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and South-Central Pennsylvania. Much like on the TV classic, Lassie, the dogs “search for human scent, communicate to their human handlers, and lead them back to the site,” says Servais.
This is how Mid-Atlantic Dogs helps find missing persons, like Jane’s team member, Jerry, 70, who got lost while hiking the Appalachian Trail, despite being a seasoned outdoors person. Thanks to a couple who reported him missing to authorities, rescue dog Champ and his handler were able to find Jerry—four miles down, through boulders and dense vegetation. He was semi-conscious and had given up hope, but was quickly revived and is alive and well.
Mid-Atlantic Dogs is a small, all-volunteer organization with a substantial impact. “BGE’s Community Safety Grant gives us funding for what we need, including high-quality radios, GPS tracking collars and handheld devices, and protective outerwear for handlers. We could not do it without BGE. If you’re properly clothed and properly equipped, you can do effective and efficient job without sacrificing personal safety.”
In addition to rescue missions, Mid-Atlantic Dogs provides education through community talks, helping families know what to do if someone goes missing. “Stay where you are,” Servais advises. “Someone is coming to find you.”
Click here to learn more about Mid-Atlantic Dogs.
