Rescue Dogs Become Conservation Heroes

Working Dogs for Conservation trains former shelter dogs to help protect wildlife and ecosystems worldwide.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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A nonprofit organization called Working Dogs for Conservation (WD4C) based near Missoula, Montana rescues neglected dogs and trains them to assist with various conservation efforts around the world. The dogs are trained to detect rare and invasive species, helping conservationists better understand and protect threatened wildlife and environments.

Why it matters

Conservation efforts often rely on specialized skills that humans lack, such as the keen sense of smell that dogs possess. By training rescue dogs, WD4C is able to provide an invaluable service to conservation initiatives globally, allowing them to more effectively monitor and protect vulnerable species and ecosystems.

The details

WD4C has been in operation for 26 years, doing conservation work in 36 countries and 45 U.S. states. The organization rescues dogs, nurses them back to health, and then trains them for specific conservation tasks based on their individual strengths. For example, an 8-year-old rescue dog named Charlie has helped detect rare sea wolves in Canada and kit foxes in the southwestern U.S. Another WD4C dog assisted with invasive species detection in the Falkland Islands. The dogs' abilities allow conservationists to locate and monitor threatened species in ways that would be very difficult for humans alone.

  • WD4C has been in operation for 26 years.
  • Charlie, an 8-year-old rescue dog, has been working with WD4C for the past 5 years.

The players

Working Dogs for Conservation (WD4C)

A nonprofit organization based near Missoula, Montana that rescues neglected dogs and trains them to assist with various conservation efforts around the world.

Charlie

An 8-year-old rescue dog that has been working with WD4C for the past 5 years, helping to detect rare species such as sea wolves and kit foxes.

Michele Lovara

A K-9 field specialist with WD4C.

Aimee Hurt

A cofounder of WD4C and the director of Special Projects.

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What they’re saying

“The impact these dogs make every day is incredible, but it's our community that makes this work possible.”

— Aimee Hurt, Cofounder and Director of Special Projects, Working Dogs for Conservation (The Missoulian)

What’s next

WD4C continues to rescue and train dogs to assist with conservation efforts around the world, expanding their reach and impact.

The takeaway

By training rescue dogs to assist with specialized conservation tasks, WD4C is able to provide an invaluable service to protect vulnerable wildlife and ecosystems globally, demonstrating the power of innovative, community-driven solutions to environmental challenges.