Bear

Bear was a chocolate Labrador with a nose for trouble and a heart for the people who needed him most. Over eight years on a volunteer search-and-rescue team near Asheville, he located hikers stranded on ridgelines, a wandering toddler at dusk, and an elderly man who had slipped on an icy trail. His handler says Bear knew the difference between a drill and the real thing, and on the real days he would not rest until everyone was found. He is remembered with a plaque at the trailhead he loved, where families still leave a biscuit and a thank-you.