Roma, a former shelter dog from Los Angeles County, has been honored with the prestigious Pet Hero Award for her search-and-rescue efforts following a June earthquake in Venezuela, as announced by the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
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The 6-year-old black Labrador retriever, along with her handler, Derek Morree, received the award from the Helen Woodward Animal Center, an animal welfare nonprofit. Roma spent her early months living on the streets of Los Angeles before being rescued. Recognizing her potential, the rescue group connected her with the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, where she received training as an Urban Search and Rescue canine.
Morree, who has been partnered with Roma for five years, expressed his pride and affection for her, calling her "my girl." He described the experience of deploying to Venezuela as both challenging and rewarding. "The opportunity to deploy to Venezuela was heavy and often heartbreaking, but I am so grateful to have been able to go there with Roma and do what we were trained to do," he said.
In their 10-day mission in Venezuela, Roma and Morree worked alongside other K-9 teams, searching through collapsed structures for survivors. Despite the taxing nature of their work, Morree noted that Roma views it as her favorite "game." Off duty, she enjoys playing fetch, going for runs and hikes, swimming, and playing in the snow.
The fire department expressed pride in their partnership with the Search Dog Foundation, and Roma and Morree were recognized at the annual Remember Me Thursday ceremony hosted by Helen Woodward Animal Center.