Today, Raezor went to a call. She could not participate as a search dog, because she is not ready yet. She could do nothing more than sit in the back of the truck and wait and watch all the activity around her. Trains winding their way through the canyon. Helicopters flying overhead. People and more people and still more people with ropes, and packs, and poles and cameras and all sorts of other necessary equipment filing back and forth next to the truck, for hours on end.
Today, Raezor helped a woman. She couldn't participate in the search to find this woman's son, but she helped none the less.
For hours, this woman watched all the same activity Raezor did. Trains winding their way through the canyon. Helicopters flying overhead. People and more people, and still more people with ropes, and packs, and poles and cameras and all sorts of other necessary equipment filing back and forth along the roadway. And she could do nothing more than sit on the edge of a road and wait and watch all the activity around her.
When the call concluded, this woman's son was found. The outcome was not good, but it was the outcome that was expected. But, still, as the grandmother told me before we started, you still have to hold out just a little bit of hope. What else can you do?
I heard his mom cry out; I watched as tears fell upon finally seeing her son and realizing his fate was real. And definite. And there was no hope to hold out for any longer.
We put all of our gear and equipment away. We packed our truck and drove a short ways away. We stopped to give ourselves a break before the long, winding mountain drive home. Mom and grandma drove up. They asked if, please, could they just say hi to the dogs. Could they just pet the dogs for a moment.
Of course.
The canopy lid was lifted and Raezor went to work. She snuggled, cuddled and loved this woman as if they were long lost friends. The young man's mother talked to Raezor and thanked her for being there. She petted Raezor and let her lick her from one side to the other. She talked to Raezor about her son, and Raezor listened. And Raezor gave her more love.
And I watched. Amazed entirely at how much a young dogs love and enthusiasm could, if just for a moment, make a heartbroken woman's soul feel a tiny bit better.
Today, Raezor went on a call. She didn't clear an area. She didn't make a find. But she made a difference.
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