Pearl the Dog – "A Homeless Dog Becomes a Hero"!
In early 2008, the life of labrador retriever Pearl was anything but good, as she found herself homeless in an animal shelter. But soon after, her life improved drastically when volunteers from the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation rescued her and began to train her as a search dog. In July 2008 she was matched up with her owner, Ron Horetski, and in January 2010 their partnership proved to be a life-saving one…..
That month, a major earthquake struck Haiti, and Ron and Pearl joined hundreds of others in an effort to rescue survivors of the disaster. Working tirelessly, Pearl succeeded in rescuing 12 people! Today, Pearl continues in her search and rescue efforts, giving to each person she finds the gift of a saved life, just as it was given to her.
Here’s a video that tells the story of Pearl and her incredible accomplishments!
Additional Resources:
- Here is the official website for Pearl, which tells her inspirational story!
- Here is an article that tells more about the amazing Pearl.
Topics for Discussion:
- Do you think Pearl knows she is doing good by saving lives?
- What message does Pearl’s story teach about heroes?
Take Action:
- Do you have an animal shelter in your community? Visit it and learn how you can help the animals there!
- Visit the Search Dog Foundation website to learn more about other tremendous dogs like Pearl and how you can support them!
Teacher Features:
- Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for elementary school students.
- Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for middle school students.
