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Samantha Hayes reportingA Salt Lake City man and his dog were among highly trained searchers looking for trapped hurricane victims. They just returned from Mississippi.
They searched for 10 days in Biloxi and other areas severely damaged by the hurricane, looking for survivors. They were part of the Utah Task Force called upon by FEMA to help.
In the dog world, "Cowboy" is a real star, but it's nearly impossible to get him to sit still for an interview.
He's high energy, and smart too. "Cowboy" has the most advanced certification a FEMA dog can earn.
David Richards, Volunteer search and rescuer: "He's the brains behind this operation."
David Richards is no dummy, either. He's an attorney who volunteers his time and spent his own money to train "Cowboy."
David Richards, Volunteer search and rescuer: "To have a dog highly trained in collapsed structure rescue and locate live human beings trapped below rubble-- who wouldn't want to do that?"
They are a team, and together have been on many rescue missions in Utah. They searched for victims trapped in the rubble after 9-11, and those trapped in their houses after Hurricane Katrina.
David Richards, Volunteer search and rescuer: "In Mississippi some people didn't know we were there until we knocked on their door."
And they knocked on thousands of doors while Cowboy searched for those trapped and still alive, all this in a chaotic environment.
David Richards, Volunteer search and rescuer: "It was kind of like camping near a landfill. Everywhere outside of our base of operations was destroyed and everyone was fending for themselves."
For Cowboy there's not much difference between work and play, and that's how it's supposed to be. During tese play times, David teaches him commands that, in a disaster zone, keep the dog out of trouble."
David Richards, Volunteer search and rescuer: "There were 10 million nails everywhere you stepped. There was hazardous waste. There was sewage. The dogs don't have nice steel-toed boots that they can wear. They have to walk through the muck and they are decontaminated and washed every time they get back from a search."
And it's exhausting work. But you wouldn't know that by watching Cowboy. After ten years, David thinks it's almost time to let his friend, and partner, retire.
David Richards, Volunteer search and rescuer: "He's a great companion."
David Richards said he never imagined himself doing this until he ended up with a really smart dog. He bought the dog from a cowboy in Idaho, hence the name.
