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All stolen, neglected or abused dogs should be rescued and their abusers dealt with swiftly and with legal consequences. However, it is essential that canine officers and service dogs receive special treatment to find and/or care for their needs.
These dogs, while loved by their handlers, have received specific and expensive training. Canine dogs may detect guns or drugs, pursue a criminal, locate a lost child or disoriented elderly person, or find a cadaver to bring about an arrest and/or closure to a family.
Service dogs guide the blind confidently when the person might otherwise be housebound; pull a wheelchair, open doors, fetch or carry and work light switches.
Specially trained dogs detect critical bloodsugar drops, and alert family members, rouse the patient or press an emergency alarm. Hearing dogs alert to doorbells, phones and fire alarms.
Finally, but not least, a trained canine can provide the comfort and confidence needed for a PTS veteran or a major crime victm to resume a near-normal life.
Our legislatures need to draft and pass bills into law to provide special legal protection for these four-pawed citizens.
Marty Brewster
Elkins