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Taking It All In Stride
Most of us think of search and rescue only when there is a national disaster like the World Trade Center terrorist attack, but volunteers and their canine partners are always ready at a moments notice when law enforcement or other government agencies ask for their help to find people who are lost, missing, or kidnapped. Crawford, 43, a member of several local, state, and federal search and rescue organizations, takes it all in stride. She's accustomed to being ready at the urgent call of her pager. A hiker may be lost in the mountains; an elderly person suffering from Alzheimer's disease may have wandered off, or, as in the Laci Peteerson case, it might involve more ominous circumstances. Whatever the need, she and Dakota, and now Tahoe too, are up for the task. All of Crawford's dogs are American Pit Bull Terriers. "Pit Bulls have all the characteristics - intelligence, strength, agility, courage, and determination - to make them ideal for search and rescue," she says. "And one more thing," she notes, "They do not understand the concept of giving up. And when you are out in the middle of the night searching for a missing child or someone's missing grandparent suffering from Alzheimer's disease, you want a dog that won't quit!" Crawford and Dakota have responded together on well over 100 searches, including the search for the crew members of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. They spent 10 grueling days searching in bone chilling cold and rain. Each morning, Dakota was up early and ready to go work some more. Crawford shared a poignant moment, one that touches the heart, and perhaps is indicative of the intangible qualities like character and some instinctual, innate understanding which make Dakota such a remarkable search partner. One day, they returned from their search assignment, and they were wet and cold from the rain. As Crawford and Dakota sat huddled together trying to warm themselves around the small propane heater, a NASA pilot, who had also been out in the cold searching the forest all day, came into the tent and went and sat in a chair in the corner. "He put his head in his hands and we could see his tears dripping through his hands," Crawford said. "Dakota saw this too, and although she was tired and still shivering, she left her warm cozy spot by the heater and went over to him, snuck her head under his arms and gave him a big kiss. He wrapped his arms around her and hung on....and cried." Crawford is called out numerous times a year to assist with various search and rescue cases, and it's all on a voluntary basis. Not only do search and rescue workers volunteer their time and expertise, they are also responsible for all their own expenses and equipment costs, including veterinary services if their dog is injured. In some cases, it has been necessary for Crawford to use vacation time from her full time paying job in order to go search for the missing. FOR PITS' SAKE Kristine Crawford's work in search and rescue is only part of her devotion to public service. Her work in neighborhoods, schools, hospitals, with children, the elderly and law enforcement are known throughout the world. Through For Pits' Sake, a non profit organization that she founded, she works tirelessly to educate the public and through her work she is also dispelling the myths and misconceptions about the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. She and her dogs have been featured on Animal Planet and National Geographic cable television shows as well as other television and radio broadcasts. In addition to Dakota, 7, Crawford has two other pit bulls, Cheyenne, 8, and Tahoe, 3, who is also a certified search and rescue dog. All three animals are also certified therapy dogs and work as part of medical, psychiatric, rehabilitation, and special education programs. These dogs are known to calm disturbed children, lower patient heart rates, and, since speech is unnecessary, and touch such a powerful sense, stroke victims and others lacking verbal skills are benefited. They provide a way of helping people when traditional methods fall short. Crawford and her dogs do not merely "visit" patients. They work with the therapist and patient within a treatment plan. Crawford has put her dogs through extensive specialized training to do this type of work in hospital settings. Their SAR (Search and Rescue) "Hug-A-Tree and Survive" program is an assembly program for children on how not to get lost in the wilderness and what to do in the event they do get lost so they can be found. "Hopefully, children will never need this knowledge, but if they do, they may remember some of the things we show them to keep them alive and that will make our search short and successful. "Safety Around Dogs" is another worthwhile program that Crawford is passionate about. The sad fact is that children make up over 60 percent of all dog bite victims. "We teach children to look both ways before crossing the street, to never accept rides from strangers, and a variety of other precautions to avoid potentially dangerous situations. So why aren't we teaching them to be safe around dogs?!" says Crawford. The program teaches children how to interact properly with dogs and what to do if they come face to face with an aggressive dog. All of these programs are provided to the public at no cost with Crawford paying for their expense herself. "I don't want to hear that one child got lost in the wilderness and didn't know what to do or hear that one child was attacked by a dog and didn't know what to do because they could not afford to go to my class," says Crawford. Crawford is currently involved in her own research and training that may well be a breakthrough in human to canine and canine to human communication. While many researchers have conducted studies on two-way communication using dolphins, primates and other animals, Crawford says that little has been done with canines. "I've attempted to develop a symbolic form of communication that could be understood and utilized by my dogs," she said recently. "I've learned that canines appear to posess the perceptual and cognitive capacities to understand my system as well as utilize the system to perform simple requests." Crawford uses two dimensional symbols to communicate actions such as "bring", objects like "phone", as well as symbols for body parts like, "head", "arm", etc to her dogs and other animals, such as birds and pot-bellied pigs. According to Crawford, comprehension varies both with each species, and then again with each individual, but they have all learned to comprehend symbols and utilize them for simple requests. Her hope is that speech and hearing impaired children might be able to communicate with their dogs, thereby greatly enriching their lives. "My original intention for my experiments was simply to enhance my relationship with my dogs...but I feel I've formed the foundation for additional studies and further research," says Crawford. More about Crawford's work regarding two-way symbolic communication with canines can be found on her website. ABOUT THE DOGS All three of Crawford's dogs have beaten the odds. From severe health issues to attacks and poisonings from people ignorant about the breed. Today they are alive, happy and healthy, and providing valuable services to the community at large. Oh, and one more thing: They are the most people-friendly, affectionate, kiss-crazy dogs since Lassie came home!
But times have changed. Today pit bulls make up the vast majority of dogs euthanized at shelters. Criminals breed and train them for dog fighting and often torture them in an effort to make them vicious. Certain uneducated animal groups discourage their breeding and even encourage banning them completely. And yet these intelligent, noble animals go on, wanting only to serve, be clowns and to make people happy...and to have someone love and care for them. "As a pit bull owner, I step into a public relationships minefield nearly everywhere we go," Crawford says. "There are so many myths and misconceptions out there surrounding these dogs." On one occassion, Crawford received a call from the mother of a child she and Tahoe had been visiting at the hospital. The little boy was dying and asking for Tahoe. When they arrived, the boy was lieing motionless in the bed. Tahoe went over to the boy and smelled his hand. Then this big white pit bull gently climbed onto the bed and layed next to the little boy. "His mother put the boy's arm around Tahoe. We saw a faint smile and a short time later the boy passed away," Crawford said wiping tears from her eyes. Later, as Crawford and Tahoe were walking through the parking lot, a woman yelled at them, "Get that @#$% white monster out of here, there are children here!" Crawford and Tahoe kept on walking, "I know, that's why we were here," Crawford said to herself. So why does she do it? "I hope my work will inspire others to get out in their communities and do something to help," she said. Crawford then said that she use to do all kinds of activities with her dogs - Schutzhund, Obedience, Tracking, etc. She had walls full of trophies, plagues, and ribbons, but she wanted to do more with her life. "I enjoy working with my dogs and I feel it is important that we all try to make a differnce in the lives of others. So now my wall is completely empty, but now when my dogs do a good job, we just may save someone's life." If you'd like to learn more about Kristine Crawford, her dogs, or the programs mentioned in this article, you are invited to visit her website at: www.forpitssake.org
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