TRUCKEE, Calif. – It sounds like a story straight out of Hollywood: a stray dog rescued in California ends up a hero, helping save lives in Venezuela after a natural disaster. But it’s the real-life story of Greta, an adult dog who arrived at the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe as a stray in 2024, and ended up searching through the rubble of collapsed buildings in Venezuela following a pair of catastrophic earthquakes. But for those who spent time with her at HSTT, there were early signs of greatness.
“Our staff quickly noticed her friendly personality, unwavering confidence, and one undeniable obsession, tennis balls, said Steph Nistler, CEO of the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe. “Those traits weren’t just charming; they were exactly what the Search Dog Foundation looks for in future disaster search dogs.”
When HSTT shared Greta’s story on Facebook, both a Search Dog Foundation volunteer and HSTT team members recognized something special. Having partnered with the Search Dog Foundation before, HSTT reached out, believing Greta had the potential to become something extraordinary, and they were right.
Greta was accepted into the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation’s training program, where trainers discovered she was every bit as remarkable as HSTT staff had hoped. Smart, energetic, social, and driven by an incredible desire to search, Greta thrived in the program. She graduated in May 2024 and was paired with firefighter Arby Fields of California Task Force 2.
Arby’s own journey to becoming a search-and-rescue handler is just as inspiring. Before becoming a firefighter, Arby played professional baseball for the Chicago White Sox and the Seattle Mariners. After his baseball career ended, he followed a different calling, one inspired by a terrifying experience during the 2005 Southern California wildfires. As flames surrounded his neighborhood, Arby experienced first-hand the courage and compassion of firefighters who brought hope during one of the scariest moments of his life. That experience shaped his future.
When Arby later learned about FEMA canine handlers, he knew that was the path he wanted to pursue. When he first met Greta during handler training, he knew he had made the right decision for both of them.
“After an agility demonstration, Greta ran right to me and leapt into my arms. I knew right then the bond had been created,” Arby recalls.
Together, the pair earned FEMA certification in February 2025, qualifying them to deploy on disasters throughout the United States and internationally with USA-2. On June 25, 2026, that call came.
Following the catastrophic 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that struck Venezuela, Greta and Arby deployed as part of USA-2 alongside other elite search-and-rescue teams from around the world. As hundreds lost their lives and thousands remained missing beneath collapsed buildings, Greta began doing exactly what she was trained to do, using her incredible nose to search for survivors.
“Greta’s story is a powerful reminder of why every shelter animal deserves a second chance. The frightened stray who once wandered into our shelter is now a highly trained disaster search dog whose work may help save lives in one of the world’s most challenging moments,” says Nistler. “We are incredibly proud to have played a small part in Greta’s journey and grateful to the Search Dog Foundation for recognizing her extraordinary potential. Most of all, we’re thankful to Arby for believing in her, trusting her, and forming a partnership built on courage, dedication, and an unbreakable bond.”
As Greta and Arby continue their lifesaving work in Venezuela, HSTT asks our community to join in wishing them, and all the first responders and canine teams, strength, safety, and success.
“Sometimes, the dog waiting quietly in a shelter kennel isn’t just waiting for a home,” says Nistler. “Sometimes, they’re waiting to become a hero.”
