Roma: The Shelter Dog Who Became a Search-and-Rescue Hero in Venezuela
Quick Answer: Roma, a Labrador Retriever surrendered to a Southern California rescue because her energy was difficult for her original owner to handle, was later recruited by the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation and trained as a disaster search dog. Paired with Los Angeles County firefighter Derek Moree, she became part of a certified urban search-and-rescue team. In June 2026, Roma and Moree deployed to Venezuela after two major earthquakes, helping search collapsed structures for survivors. On September 24, 2026, the pair received the Pet Hero Award from Helen Woodward Animal Center.
Roma was once the kind of dog whose energy was difficult to fit into an ordinary home. Today, that same drive is part of a highly specialized skill set used in disaster response.
The female Labrador Retriever spent her first two years in an Los Angeles County animal shelter before being surrendered to Southern California Cat Adoption Tails, a nonprofit rescue in Pasadena. Her high energy and strong drive caught the attention of the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation (SDF), which saw potential in giving her a job rather than treating her intensity simply as a problem.
That second chance eventually took Roma from shelter life to disaster zones. In June 2026, she and her handler, Los Angeles County Fire Department firefighter Derek Moree, deployed to Venezuela after a pair of major earthquakes. Months later, their work was recognized with a Pet Hero Award at Helen Woodward Animal Center's annual Remember Me Thursday ceremony. SDF documents Roma's history and training, while the Los Angeles County Fire Department reported the September 2026 award.
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An illustrative depiction of Roma, a Labrador Retriever disaster search dog, working through earthquake rubble during her documented search-and-rescue journey. Illustration: The Pader. |
An original photograph from the Los Angeles County Fire Department's report on Roma and Derek Moree receiving the Pet Hero Award at Helen Woodward Animal Center in September 2026.
View original → Image remains on the original source.From a Shelter Dog to a Search Dog
Roma was born on August 12, 2020. According to the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, her original owner surrendered her because her exuberant energy was too much to handle. She was then placed with Southern California Cat Adoption Tails in Pasadena.
The rescue manager had experience with working dogs and recognized that Roma's high drive and energy might be better suited to a dog with a job. SDF recruiters had noticed Roma through the rescue's social media and contacted the organization. She was subsequently brought into SDF's training program.
At SDF's National Training Center, trainers redirected behaviors such as her enthusiasm for hunting, barking and playing tug toward search work. The organization describes her as intense, fast and efficient during searches, with a quick alert when she locates a victim.
Roma graduated from the program and was paired with Derek Moree of the Los Angeles County Fire Department and California Task Force 2 on November 12, 2022.
Training a Dog for Disaster Search
Disaster search dogs are trained for a very different task from ordinary companion-dog activities. Their job is to locate human scent in difficult environments and communicate a find to their handlers.
For Roma, training turned her natural motivation into a controlled search behavior. The result was not simply a dog that was energetic, but a working canine capable of operating as part of a specialized human-animal team.
Roma and Moree achieved FEMA certification in Sacramento, California, on March 10, 2024. SDF says the certification made the team eligible to deploy nationally and internationally as part of an internationally deployable task force.
Roma's First International Deployment
Roma's first call to action came after a pair of earthquakes struck Venezuela in June 2026.
According to SDF, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake and a 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck northwestern and central Venezuela within minutes of each other on June 24. Six SDF-trained teams from the Los Angeles County Fire Department's California Task Force 2 deployed as USA-2 alongside other international urban search-and-rescue teams to assist in locating people who might be trapped beneath rubble.
Roma and Moree were one of those six teams. They worked in collapsed and unstable structures during the search operation before returning safely to the United States with the other canine teams.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department later said Roma and Moree were recognized specifically for their life-saving efforts in Venezuela, where they located and rescued individuals trapped under rubble.
What Makes Search Dogs Valuable After an Earthquake?
When buildings collapse, survivors can be hidden beneath layers of concrete, wood, metal and other debris. Search dogs can help rescue teams rapidly examine areas that would otherwise be difficult to assess.
Roma's role is therefore not about physically removing rubble herself. Her value comes from her ability to search and alert her handler when she detects the presence of a person. That information can help guide the larger rescue operation.
In a recent account of the Venezuela deployment, Greater Good reported that Roma and her team helped rescue more than a dozen people trapped in rubble. Because that figure comes from secondary reporting rather than Roma's individual SDF profile, The Pader treats it as a reported figure rather than presenting it as an independently established total for Roma alone.
The Award Came Months After the Deployment
On September 24, 2026, Roma and Derek Moree were honored with the Pet Hero Award at Helen Woodward Animal Center's annual Remember Me Thursday ceremony.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department described Roma as a six-year-old black Labrador Retriever and highlighted her journey from spending her first two years in an animal shelter to serving on its Urban Search and Rescue team.
The recognition was not based simply on Roma being a shelter dog. It followed a documented progression from rescue placement to specialized training, certification, disaster deployment and search-and-rescue work.
A Different Way to Look at “Too Much Energy”
Roma's story also illustrates why the needs of a high-drive dog can vary greatly from one home to another.
The SDF specifically recruits dogs whose energy, play drive and motivation may make ordinary pet life challenging but can become useful traits in specialized work. Roma's experience does not mean every energetic shelter dog is suited to disaster response. Instead, it shows how assessment, training and the right environment can sometimes reveal abilities that are not obvious in a conventional home.
For Roma, the qualities that once made life difficult for her original owner became part of the foundation of a working career.
Why Roma's Story Matters
Roma's journey connects two parts of animal welfare that are often discussed separately: giving shelter animals a second chance and recognizing the different ways dogs can contribute to human communities.
Her story began with surrender, but it did not end there. A rescue organization, SDF trainers and a firefighter-handler helped redirect her energy into a specialized role. In 2026, that role took her into an international disaster response operation.
Her recognition in September adds another chapter to that journey, but the Venezuela deployment remains the central event that demonstrated what the team had been trained to do.
Questions About Roma
What breed is Roma?
Roma is a female Labrador Retriever, born August 12, 2020, according to the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation.
Who is Roma's handler?
Roma is paired with Los Angeles County Fire Department firefighter Derek Moree. They are part of California Task Force 2.
Where did Roma deploy in 2026?
Roma and Moree deployed to Venezuela on June 25, 2026, after a pair of major earthquakes struck the country.
What award did Roma receive?
Roma and Derek Moree received the Pet Hero Award at Helen Woodward Animal Center's Remember Me Thursday ceremony on September 24, 2026.
Takeaway
Roma's story began with a shelter placement after her high energy proved difficult for her original owner to manage. With the right assessment and specialized training, that same drive became part of a search-and-rescue career. After becoming a certified disaster search team with firefighter Derek Moree, Roma deployed to Venezuela following the June 2026 earthquakes and helped search for people trapped beneath rubble. Her journey was later recognized with a Pet Hero Award.
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Sources and Further Reading
- National Disaster Search Dog Foundation — Roma & Derek Moree
- National Disaster Search Dog Foundation — Six SDF-Trained Search Teams Deploy in Aftermath of Venezuela Earthquakes
- Los Angeles County Fire Department — Pet Hero Award Presented to Fire Fighter Derek Moree and his K-9 Roma
- Greater Good — Roma's Venezuela search-and-rescue work
Status: FACT-CHECKED
Roma's breed, birth date, surrender and recruitment history, training, pairing with Derek Moree, FEMA certification, June 2026 Venezuela deployment and September 2026 Pet Hero Award were checked against the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation and Los Angeles County Fire Department. The reported figure that Roma and her team helped rescue more than a dozen people is identified as secondary reporting rather than treated as an independently established Roma-only total. The article does not describe Roma as the sole rescuer or imply that a search dog physically removed survivors from rubble.
The Pader presents wildlife and science information using credible sources and accessible language. Scientific information may be updated as new research emerges.