Recordpub.com - Fire dog continues tradition in Ravenna Twp.

By Melissa Dilley

Special to the Record-Courier

For centuries, the well-known symbol of local fire stations has been a Dalmatian who resided outside the station and rode on the back of firefighter’s trucks. Ravenna Township Fire station is now continuing the firehouse dog tradition, but with a black Labrador retriever named Pepper.

Pepper is a search and rescue dog who can be deployed all over the world in times of catastrophe.

Although Pepper has never been called out to assist the firefighters, if a national catastrophe such as Hurricane Katrina, or local incident like a house fire and collapse were to occur, her owner and she would be ready to roll with a minutes notice.

Sally Zaher, a full-time firefighter, became the only Ohio-certified handler after passing the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s test with her dog on June 6 in Dayton.

In order to pass the test, Pepper had 40 minutes to search two, 12,000 square feet by ten feet deep rubble piles, one with her trainer and one without. Pepper found two victims in the first 20 minutes and the remaining four victims in the second rubble pile.

Once on the scene, Pepper can climb ladders as high as sixteen feet, shimmy under broken concrete and sniff out victims and bark loudly to let Zaher know there is someone who must be rescued. Each time Pepper finds someone, they give her a treat to teach her loyalty to victims.

Zaher spent more than a year training Pepper in obedience and agility after she was rescued by FEMA from a pound in Texas.

In her native Northern England, Zaher trained mountain Rescue dogs. She said she owes most of what she knows about training dogs to on the job experience.

That means Pepper needs to have a connection with Zaher that lets the dog know when it’s time to work and when it’s time to play.

When Pepper is home with Zaher, she plays with other pet dogs, cats and chickens. However, while Pepper has time to be a normal dog, Zaher said there are exceptions.

“If she were allowed to be regular during her training it would undo the training, so she is a little segregated from the rest of the pack still.”

Search and rescue dogs are taught special cues to know when there is a catastrophe, but Zaher said as soon as she puts on her Ohio Task Force One uniform and helmet, Pepper knows it’s time to go to work.

Another trick Zaher uses is picking Pepper up on her back legs and patting her stomach to get her psyched for the rescue mission.

Zaher says she and Pepper definitely share a bond and understand each other. However, she realizes Pepper is more than a firehouse pet.

“As much as I love her to death, I realize she is a tool,” Zaher said. “I’d be devastated (If she were to get hurt or worse), but I’d rather it happen to her than a fellow firefighter.”

Fire Chief Steven Bosso, who can’t resist Pepper’s charm either, said she is a valuable asset, not only to Ravenna and Portage County, but to the entire Northeast Ohio region.

“There are more than 12,000 fire departments in Ohio and (Zaher) is the only handler from here, so even though she downplays it, it’s really rare,” Bosso said. “It’s a plus for this area as a region because she can be used as an asset anywhere assistance is needed.”

Ravenna Township may soon have an entire dog unit. Zaher is currently training her border collie, Breck, to be a cadaver dog, which are used to find human remains and missing people, and Cap. Heather Sweitzer is training her border collie, Gilley, possibly for search and rescue.

Contact Melissa Dilley at mdilley@recordpub.com or 330-298-1128.