Death Row Dog Saves a Life

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Wednesday, May 30, 2001 - USA

CASTRO VALLEY, CA — What did you do, your second day on the job? Let's see... I believe I labeled a few empty file folders, learned how to operate the fax machine and found which vending machine has the best Twinkies.

Kaze's second day on the job, he saved a woman's life. But we'll get to that soon enough; first let's find out where Kaze came from.

"Keasaun Beethoven's Fifth" (his full name, which he usually only hears after he digs up the azaleas) is a 5-year-old Alaskan Malamute whose first few years were spent being used as a sled dog in competitions. The woman who had owned him had a sledding accident and decided to put him in a shelter.

Just a few days before he was to be killed at the shelter, Kaze was rescued by Daryl Lee of Castro Valley.

"Someone was going to throw this dog away," he said.

Mr. Lee soon recognized the dog's exceptional abilities and enrolled him in the state's search and rescue training program at the California Rescue Dog Association.

Earlier this year, Kaze became possibly the first Alaskan Malamute ever to be certified (rescue dogs are generally Australian Shepherds, German Shepherds, Dobermans and Boxers—dogs credited with having the keenest sense of smell).

Several days ago, woman in her late 20s was reported missing; her family indicated that she had attempted to commit suicide and had overdosed on prescription drugs. The Contra Costa Sheriff's Department initiated a search of the area, but they soon realized that they needed some help.

"Ooh, pick me! Pick me!" Kaze said, waving his paw in the air (writer's embellishment).

The next day they put the newbie Kaze on the job. At this point, the missing woman was in a coma and had less than an hour to live, authorities would later report. Within ten minutes the dog led Mr. Lee and rescuers to a bridge near the San Pablo Dam, just north of Orinda.

"He ran down under a bridge that crossed a creek," describes Mr. Lee. "It looked like he was going to jump in and get wet."

There he found the missing woman, who was immediately rushed to the hospital where she remained in a coma for almost a week. She has since recovered and is back at home with her family.