Dog Fired From Sniffer Role Excels in Earthquake Rescue

A Labrador Retriever named Roger has an extraordinary story of inspiration. He used to be a sniffer dog until he got fired from the police academy because of his personality. Now, he is helping save lives in the aftermath of the Taiwan earthquake. 

Dog deemed ‘too friendly’ for drug-sniffing role steals hearts during Taiwan earthquake rescue

Roger is an 8-year-old canine who underwent training to become a drug-sniffing dog, as per People. He received training in Taichung, Taiwan, at the Customs Administration’s Detector Dog Breeding & Training Center. However, the Lab flunked out because of his “too friendly” temperament as he used to get distracted by any show of affection easily. 

Subsequently, the dog went on to become a part of the search and rescue team. At present, Roger holds the position of a ranking officer at the Kaohsiung Fire Bureau. 

In 2018, following a 6-magnitude earthquake, Roger went on his first rescue mission. According to the leader of the rescue team, Chen Chih-san, they quickly realized that the canine’s playful personality made him perfect for the job. 

After that, Roger has been involved in seven rescue missions. The most recent of these occurred following the Apr. 3 earthquake along the eastern coast of Taiwan. 

It was the strongest earthquake in Taiwan in 25 years with a 7.4-magnitude. Roger significantly contributed to the recovery efforts as he located the remains of the 13th victim, a 21-year-old female. She was found buried beneath debris in Taroko National Park. 

As per The Independent, the fire department unveiled footage last Saturday, Apr. 6, showcasing his valiant efforts during the Taiwan earthquake rescue. The video depicted Roger scaling a massive rock situated along a hiking path next to Hualien’s Taroko National Park. 

Further, viewers can see a rescuer asking Roger if he has detected anything noteworthy and urging him to search somewhere else. Yet, Roger’s steadfast refusal to move ultimately allowed them to discover a stuck individual.

Therefore, although Roger is on the brink of retirement, he is going to leave his duties as Taiwan’s hero.