
Danielle Hanna, Global Animal
PHILADELPHIA — A four-story building on Market St. in Philadelphia collapsed Wednesday morning, killing one woman and injuring 13 others.
The building was undergoing demolition when it buckled, crashing down onto the neighboring building which housed a Salvation Army store with an unknown number of victims inside.
Police dogs trained for search and rescue were brought to the scene to assist in locating all of the victims as quickly as possible.
“We have two dogs that have come out to work the pile to locate others so we know exactly where to dig,” Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers told the Chicago Tribune. “We’re moving a little bit at the time.”
The search and rescue efforts are expected to last at least into Thursday, according to Ayers.
In addition to their work as search and rescue team members, service dogs are also used in therapeutic capacities, bringing comfort in the wake of the Boston marathon bombing and for victims of the recent Oklahoma tornadoes.
Law enforcement K-9 units are also useful in many occupations, including cadaver dogs, drug-sniffing dogs, and this German Shepherd who fills in for a New Mexico police force.

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