As the death toll rises and people begin to count the human and financial consequences of the devastating earthquake in Amatrice, Italy this week, sniffer dogs like the one pictured here go about their work with their handlers. Teams from all over Italy have gathered, as in all similar disasters to sift through the rubble and ruins systematically for signs of life.
Far fewer dogs are bred for working with livestock, pulling sleds, assisting fishermen or any of the other myriad of tasks that man has set them over the centuries. Their new jobs however mean that their unique ability to live closely with man, combined with mightly scenting ablities is being channelled to save lives, sometimes at the risk of their own.