ASHLAND CITY, Tenn. (WTVF) — Two retired search and rescue dogs who responded to some of Middle Tennessee's darkest days are looking for a new home after their owner died in February.
Ziva and Abby, 13-year-old Dutch Shepherds, recently retired from Metro OEM and Nashville Fire. The dogs have been together since they were puppies and must be adopted together.
"They are search and rescue dogs recently retired from Metro OEM and Nashville Fire," Dr. Melissa Riley said. "These guys just retired a couple of months ago."
The dogs worked on several major local missions.
"The Christmas bombing, the Weigh Down plane crash, any of the drownings in Nashville that had divers accounting for them," Riley said.
The dogs belonged to Shirley Grauberger. Riley, a close friend who also had dogs involved in search and rescue missions, took Ziva and Abby to her Cheatham County farm after Grauberger's death.
"She asked me to care for them if anything happened to her and I asked her to do the same with my dogs," Riley said. "That’s how much we loved and trusted each other."
Riley said caring for Ziva and Abby brings her comfort.
"It’s like having a little bit of her still with me," Riley said.
Despite the peaceful environment on the farm, which includes miniature donkeys, the setting is not a permanent fit for the dogs.
"But they love to chase anything their size or smaller so it’s hard for them to stay on the farm all the time," Riley said.
Abby currently has a tumor, though it is unknown if it is cancerous. Riley hopes someone will give the dogs the retirement they have earned.
"They’ve earned it," Riley said. "They’ve answered us every time we’ve asked them to do anything."
"I feel like it’s their turn to get that back in spades," Riley added.
If you're interested in learning more, you can contact Riley via e-mail at 36dogranch@gmail.com.
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