Lifesaving companions of human kind

[Photo provided to China Daily Asia]

From the family terrier frantically barking when a fire breaks out in the middle of the night to the rescue dogs who uncover earthquake survivors, our canine friends have saved countless lives over the centuries.

Search dogs play a vital role in rescue operations at disaster sites as they scamper through the rubble, their noses twitching as they try to pick up the scents of trapped victims. Historically, perhaps the most famous breed of heroic dog is the Saint Bernard, which for more than 150 years was used by Augustine monks to locate travellers buried in avalanches as they crossed the treacherous Alpine passes between Switzerland and Italy.

Not only trained rescue dogs save lives. Stories abound of pets who have saved family members from fires, drowning, snakes, aggressive animals, intruders and other kinds of threats. Of course, medical detection dogs are trained to be lifesavers – one British poodle named Nora is trained to alert her severely allergic owner if there is even the slightest trace of nuts in the air.

One of the most remarkable feats of canine heroism was carried out by a guide dog in the wake of the New York City attacks on September 11, 2001. Roselle, a Labrador, led her blind owner Michael Hingson and his coworkers through the smoke and chaos of a stairwell, down 78 floors of the World Trade Center North Tower; they reached the street just as the building collapsed.

So why do dogs want to save our lives? As members of rescue team Texas Task Force 1, K9 search specialist Bob Deeds and his Labrador Retriever, Kinsey, were part of the search operations at Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks. "Search dogs are trained to treat it as a game – once they locate the victim, they get play time with their handler as a reward, which is a great motivation for them," he explains.

And what about pets? "Self-preservation is a big part of how they react in dangerous situations, but many dogs also overcome their instinct to flee and stay to protect their owners. So there are clearly strong feelings of attachment – even love – that make them do it."

Next time your adorable pup is curled up next to you on the sofa, remember that they're much more than a loving companion – they just might save your life one day.

Putting the bling and all the other luxuries aside, what would really make a dog happy if you wanted to spoil him? "Dogs appreciate interaction with humans, whether it is retrieving or finding something that is hidden, or learning behaviour like giving paw," he says. "Anything that you can teach the dog that lets them interact with you in a positive way is definitely the best treat."