Fire Dog Heroes

Children's Literature - Carlee Hallman

After an apartment fire Ashly, a black lab, detects odors of fire accelerants in the kitchen and in the dining room. "Accelerants—certain materials used to start or spread a fire." A laboratory will check the findings. As Debra Mullins, Ashly's handler, removes trash, Ashly finds a kitten in a closet upstairs. Investigators gather the evidence and arrest a man for starting the fire. A short history tells of the development of programs which teach dogs to detect accelerants. In 1989 Connecticut State Police began offering seminars on training fire dogs. Labrador retrievers are the breed of choice for this work along with golden retrievers and German shepherds. "Fire dogs and their handlers are called an arson K-9 team." Fire dogs are trained on actual fire scenes and must pass tests. When the fire scene has cooled the dog can check for accelerants. They may also search for people who set fires by sniffing a piece of clothing. A fire dog may retire with his handler or another loving family. "Fire dogs are crime fighting heroes!" Stunning photographs show dogs and their handlers. This is one of the "Amazing Working Dogs with American Humane" series. There is a glossary, index, lists of books for further reading and Internet addresses. Kids will enjoy making a report on these dogs. Reviewer: Carlee Hallman