Trainer, 4 rescue dogs honored
State veterinary group lauds work of the Indiana Task Force One members
at
World Trade Center site.
By: R. Joseph Gelarden, Indianapolis Star
February 03, 2002
Anne Trout brushed a tear from her eye Saturday when the Indiana Veterinary
Medical Association honored her and four Hoosier search and rescue
dogs for
their valiant work seeking victims in the World Trade Center rubble.
But Kaiser, a playful German shepherd, wasn't interested in the standing
ovation from 1,000 animal experts cheering his heroism.
Instead, the bright eyes of the rescue canine seemed fixed on the slice
of
moist cheesecake, topped with a bright red strawberry, that rested
on a
nearby plate. (His handler, Tony Zintsmaster, offered Kaiser a carrot
stick,
which the dog promptly spit out.)
Mary Schmidt, a Pendleton area veterinarian who chairs the animal welfare
committee for the state group, called this year's awards to the members
of
Indiana Task Force One "a no-brainer."
Trout, the manager of research at Methodist Hospital's Medical Research
Institute and the team's training director, was honored for her efforts
to
promote animal welfare. Kaiser, Freddy, Polly and Scout were lauded
as
heroes -- animals that displayed special courage.
Although she was proud of the award, Trout used the occasion to urge
the
public to help find better places to train the dogs.
Currently the teams, whose dogs are certified by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, train at two gravel pits.
Trout said she wants to work her teams at and around destroyed buildings
and
structures, similar to what they will face at a disaster scene.
"The ruins of Market Square Arena was a perfect spot," Trout said. "But
the
city refused to let us train there. They said it was too dangerous.
"Think about it for a moment. The ruins of Market Square Arena were
too
dangerous for us, then FEMA sent us to Ground Zero to paw through the
smoking and burning ruins of the World Trade Center for nine days."
The Hoosier rescue dog teams didn't find any survivors, Trout said.
"But we found some remains of the victims, and I hope that helped bring
some
relief to their families."
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Tue, 5 Feb 2002 17:44:06 (EST)