Her father was a British career diplomat who relocated frequently due to his government assignments.
[1] An animal lover, Hebard became involved in the training of rescue dogs and was a co-founder of the United States Disaster Response Team.
The team participated in earthquake rescue missions in Mexico, Armenia, Japan and Turkey, utilizing the dogs' ability to locate trapped survivors.
She and her dogs also took part in rescue and recovery operations involving bridge collapses, floods, fires, and individuals lost in the wilderness.
[1] Additionally, they contributed to search and rescue operations following the Oklahoma City bombing and the September 11 World Trade Center attack.