Lani, a beautiful German Shepherd mix with a black face, was born August 22, 2003. From eight weeks of age, Susan Zubillaga raised her to be a Guide Dog for the Blind (GDB). Lani was intelligent, fun, eager to learn new things, and always on the go. She kept Susan’s family and their two pet German Shepherds busy! Lani went everywhere Susan went and was attentive to whoever was handling her. Susan said, “She always had a way of looking into your eyes, like she was seeing your soul.”
After 16 months, Susan returned Lani to GDB. She knew, deep down, that Lani’s high energy meant she was probably not going to become a working guide, but was destined to do other great things. When GDB agreed that Lani did not have the makings of an appropriate Guide Dog, Susan requested that Lani be given a chance at another career. She was elated when she learned Lani was accepted into the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation’s (SDF) urban disaster search and rescue training program. Lani spent several months training at Sundowners Kennels in Gilroy, CA with SDF Trainer Pluis Davern in preparation to be partnered with a handler.
Since April 19, 1995, when he watched canines on television searching the site of the Oklahoma City Bombing, Saratoga Springs firefighter John Stewart had wanted to work with a search and rescue dog. Ten years later, John and several members of New York Task Force 2 arrived at Sundowners to be paired with canine partners.
When John and Lani met at the kennel in 2005, it was an instant bond. “All the floppy-eared dogs ran past me, but Lani came right to me,” John said. She was everything John wanted in a canine partner.
The first time Susan met John Stewart’s family, she watched them together and noticed how strongly Lani had bonded with John. She said SDF could not have matched Lani with a better handler. Susan described their bond best: “It takes a really special person to be able to work with Lani, and John is very special. When I see them working together, it’s a bittersweet feeling. I’m happy knowing they are doing their job to save lives and sad knowing I will never get her back.”
John and Lani Certified in the State Urban Search and Rescue Alliance (SUSAR) system three times during their career together, a major milestone for a Canine Disaster Search Team. In addition, the team deployed to several disasters over the years:
· May 2006 – flooding in Sullivan County, NY
· June 2006 – flooding in Broome County, NY
· June 2007 – flooding in the Catskills
· August 2011 – Hurricane Irene in Green County, NY
· October 2012 – Superstorm Sandy in Long Beach, NY
On December 1, 2012, when her third Certification ran out, John made the decision to retire Lani. She continued to live in the Stewart home as a beloved member of the family for the remainder of her life.
When her health began to seriously decline and it was clear that her quality of life was compromised, John made the heartbreaking decision to say goodbye to his partner. On their last day together, John took Lani on a ride to share some last moments together. Lani passed away on August 11, 2018, with John at her side.
We are grateful to John and Lani for their years of service and dedication to New York Task Force 2, Saratoga Springs Fire Department, the Search Dog Foundation’s canine program and our nation’s citizens.