Pet Ownership

Lesson 1: Appreciating Animals

Working Animals

Animals serve us in many ways. We’ve all heard about the heroic search and rescue dogs in the 9/11 tragedy but how many people think of the lives saved when a contraband detection dog sniffs out a gun in a school or a bomb in an airport? These dogs also search out illicit drugs and get them off the streets and away from our children. Police dogs often assist in the apprehension of criminals. They work hard for the reward of a few tosses of a ball or a brief tug-of-war. Dogs also do therapy work, guard work, ranch work, and pull sleds in northern areas where other vehicles can not go.

Several years ago a TV documentary revealed the story of the Vietnam war dogs and how they saved over 10,000 American lives by searching out Vietcong weapons caches and deadly booby traps, alerting to enemy ambushes, locating injured soldiers and dragging them to safety. More than 30 years overdue, two memorials have been erected in California and in Georgia. At their unveilings, many veterans, with tears streaming down their cheeks, laid roses at the feet of the bronze dog and patted him on the head. Others recalled their last tearful goodbye at the kennel where they last left their comrade-in-arms. Many of them had begged to bring the dog soldiers home with them but government officials classified them as surplus equipment and left them there to face an unknown fate. Due to public outcry, policy has since been adopted to ensure that no war dog will ever be abandoned again.

Pigeons, those birds that are sometimes considered pests, have been helpful in wars. A thousand British troops, in WWII, rejoiced in their victory over an Italian village, only to learn that Allied planes were scheduled to bomb that same village within the hour. Fearing for their lives, they attempted to radio a message to the rear to cancel the mission but the radio failed. Heroically, GI Joe, a messenger pigeon flew 20 miles in 20 minutes delivering the message just moments before warplanes were to take off, thereby saving a thousand lives. Other pigeons flew, even while wounded, to deliver messages and microphotos. War memorials in Belgium and France stand in remembrance of pigeons and their fanciers who gave their lives in war. Today, in remote areas, pigeons still make life saving deliveries of medications.

In history, the American frontier was conquered on the backs and behind the rumps of sweating horses. They transported settlers in wagons, dragged logs for cabins, plowed fields, carried riders for medical help, helped build the Erie Canal and the railroad, delivered mail in the Pony Express and worked livestock. Today they are used in ranch work, pleasure, and in riding therapy for the handicapped who learn balance and muscle control on their gentle backs. Horses also serve in the military and on police forces. They provide an advantage when officers need to penetrate a crowd or navigate tight areas in a hurry. These horses must learn to walk on slippery streets and to tolerate noises and close contact with vehicles and crowds.

We’ve all heard of guide dogs but there are also guide horses. Small pygmy guide horses have come into demand by dog-allergic blind people who want an animal with a longer life span and wider field of vision.

Many other animals have learned to perform wonderful services for people. Dogs and cats can alert their owners before a seizure so that they can seek a safe place and prepare for it. Hearing ear dogs alert their owners to doorbells, crying babies, etc. Diabetic alert dogs let their owner know when their blood sugar levels are dropping so they can correct it before it becomes serious.

Parkinson’s disease patients have problems with their feet “freezing” into place while they are walking, thus causing falls. Parkinson’s helper dogs identify when this is happening and touch the feet of the person which, for unknown reasons, breaks the “freeze”. These dogs also help the person regain their balance, or if they fall, help them get back up.

Endal is an assistance dog, an amazing yellow Labrador who brought his owner from the depths of despair. Brain damaged from a military accident, Allen Parton was confined to a wheelchair, had memory problems, and battled depression and a lack of emotions. Allen says of Endal, “Like a shining star, Endal came bounding into that dark place and touched my very heart…….He just said to me with those Doggy eyes, ‘hold onto my tail and I’ll pull you out of here, at your pace and with no conditions.” It seems that some animals just have a way with people and an extraordinary ability to sense what they need and provide it. Endal now brings Allen the mail, takes laundry from the dryer, works the ATM, pulls the wheelchair and even retrieves fallen objects when Allen hasn’t even noticed.

Monkeys also assist quadriplegics. They learn to do tasks that require manual dexterity such as assisting with video cassettes, CD’s, book pages, getting something to drink and placing a straw into it and even feeding the person a snack. For these disabled people, an affectionate monkey companion can brighten their day and offer independence.

And of course we all enjoy the animal entertainers. Whether your favorite is Benji, Babe, or the Black Stallion, these animals work hard learning their parts for commercials, movies and shows.

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