Dogs are man's best friend, though this week they're searchers' best relief.

Tikva, a 4-year-old keeshond, has been trained to notice sad or depressed people and immediately run to their sides to offer some comfort. Tikva doesn't know 19-year-old Brooke Wilberger, but she knows her job description.

Frank, a 2-year-old wirehaired pointing griffon, and Pepper, also 2, are still training to respond to crisis situations, but they can see human emotions well enough to make a difference.

"These dogs have a sense that they're here for people," said Cindy Ehlers, Tikva's handler and a certified pet dog consultant.

Wilberger was last seen about 10 a.m. May 24 outside a southwest Corvallis apartment complex. Police believe her disappearance is an abduction.

As of Wednesday, more than 1,300 phone calls had been received on the tip line. Areas west and east of Corvallis were the focuses of searches Wednesday, with still nothing found that can be linked to the disappearance.

Several years ago, Ehlers organized People and Animals Who Serve, a Eugene-based organization that provides emotional support with specially trained animal/handler teams. Ehlers and Tikva helped people in New York following the Sept. 11 attacks. Ehlers took another dog to the Thurston High School shooting scene in Springfield in1998.

Dogs must have a good personality and temperament to be selected to be therapy dogs, as they're called. Many breeds meet those requirements. To move forward with crisis intervention training, dogs must be even more special, Ehlers said.

Peggy Peirson, Benton County's emergency services coordinator and a search organizer, said she felt first-hand the relief of being around the dogs. Benton County Search and Rescue has several additional dogs who work with its human searchers.

"That was about the best feeling I had all week," Peirson said her interaction. "It's a marvelous thing. If you see it from a distance, people are immediately drawn to them.

"They're wonderful, loving creatures who are wonderful to pet and talk to."

Corvallis resident Kathie Likos, Frank's owner, has seen Frank in action this week. They've spent time at search headquarters and were at Monday's prayer vigil.

"He definitely picks up on people's emotion," Likos said. "After the first day, people would come up and say ‘Frank,' like he was their long-lost buddy."

Pepper and her handler, Diane Nichols of Eugene, comfort people near their death at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Eugene. They were in Corvallis on Wednesday to greet weary searchers.

"It's so fun just to see the smiles on people's faces," Nichols said.

Searchers were joined Wednesday by Wilberger's father, Greg Wilberger. Other family members have also searched in the past week.

"It makes you feel better to be out," he said, but added that it's too difficult emotionally for some family members.

"It's too hard to know what you might find," Greg Wilberger said.

He said the hardest part of having his daughter missing is separating from family members when they return home at night and the emptiness felt when they're apart. They continue to find strength in their faith, through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"If the heavenly father has a plan, we have to accept that," he said.

At a glance

Who: People And Animals Who Serve

What: An organization that provides emotional support for people with the help of specially trained animal/handler teams

Where: Based in Eugene

Phone: 541-461-1188

On the Net: www.peopleandanimalswhoserve.org

Jesse Sowa covers general assignments for the Gazette-Times. He can be reached at jesse.sowa@lee.net or 758-9521.