Big Sky, MT – At Big Sky Resort, six avalanche dogs, including Hank, are key members of the ski patrol team.
Hank, an Australian cattle dog, has been working at the resort for seven years and is trained using a game of tug of war. This training helps the dogs develop the skills to locate and rescue buried skiers by scent, even in snow caves or under debris.
Time is critical in avalanche rescues, as survival chances drop sharply after 15 minutes. While avalanche fatalities are rare at ski resorts, dogs like Hank are also essential for search and rescue in the backcountry, where they can save lives when beacons are unavailable or in cases of unwitnessed avalanches.
Source: nbcmontana.com
