Little Man

All dogs are heroes, but Little Man takes it to a new level. NASAR certified he ranges off-leash for a specific human scent or the scent of any human, Articles or human remains. His joyous spirit and amazing work ethic have won him friends with law enforcement and SAR personnel in multiple states. But his story did not begin well.

In 2013, a monster tornado ground the City of Moore, OK into rubble. The carnage was terrible. Molly Gibb, a professional SAR volunteer, worked with Animal Control and American Humane‘s rescue team to serve the animal response needs. 5 days after the storm a tiny pit bull puppy was found buried, a miracle he survived. He came to be known as Little Man. When he went unclaimed Molly adopted him as he had something special. His intelligence, drive, curiosity, athleticism and upbeat nature made him a great candidate for search and rescue.

Little Man’s trainability, determination and affinity for people epitomizes just what can make many pit bulls great working dogs. He balances SAR training and deploying with serving as a neutral helper dog for shelter and adjudicated dogs in need and participating in youth programs.

For him searching is the great game, but in reality it can mean life or death. In 2020 he found a missing traumatized assault victim alive, bringing his life to a full circle. He has grown from tornado survivor to hero fully blossomed in public service, eagerly paying it forward helping families and communities in crisis and graciously welcoming their love in return.