Anyone who's ever seen a cartoon featuring a Saint Bernard digging a stranded mountaineer out of an avalanche and treating him to a bit of brandy to keep him warm has undoubtedly wondered what it would be like to see that proud, goofy face burst through a ceiling of snow in real life. And while experts will tell you that the brandy barrel is largely a myth, it's very much true that dogs of all breeds are still used to rescue people buried in an avalanche, and that one dog can "search one hectare (2.5 acres) in approximately 30 minutes, while 20 humans using avalanche probes would take around four hours to cover an equivalent area." This makes search and rescue dogs absolutely vital, as a human's chances of surviving after being buried in an avalanche drops to 30 percent after the first half hour.
On Tuesday, Mountain Rescue Search Dogs England shared a video showing precisely what it's like to be discovered by one of these "happy search and rescue dogs." Obviously, it quickly went viral, because it is beyond adorable. First, you hear the barks, then some furious digging, a snoot in the snow, and a face absolutely elated at a job well done.
The dog's name is Flo, and she's a 4-year-old Border Collie who is, according to the website, an "extremely intelligent, confident young dog with remarkable work ethic and drive" who is known "for her unusually tall upright ears." Since January 17, she has responded to over 30 call outs for missing people.
Of course, everybody on the Internet loves her.
I don't know what would make me happier in that situation - the thought that I'd been rescued from an avalanche, or the fact that I'd get cuddles from a happy dog until help arrived 😊 That is possibly the best way to get rescued from a traumatic situation
— Lisa Ann Pasquale 🏴 (@LisaAnnPasquale) February 20, 2019
Dogs literally live to make you happy and we are not worthy.
I love this. I love it. “DON’T U WORRY HOOMANS CUZ I IS HERE TO RESCUE U!”
We don’t deserve dogs. 😭 ❤️ 🐶
— Randi Lee (@theonerandi) February 20, 2019
And, yes, she is an expert in cuddles.
For more canine hero stories, check out this Mexican earthquake rescue dog who was so prolific in her efforts she recently got her own statue.
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