Thanks for teaching me somthing new today!
When Dogs were used to find survivors in the OKC Bombing, it rapidly became evident that there were only dead bodies to be found. The dogs became visibly depressed when there were no “Live Rescues” The handlers had to stage at least one live rescue at the end of the day, so the dogs could go to sleep at night and resume work the next day. The same thing happened at the World Trade Center.
Joe, would you please put me on the doggie ping list?
We adopted our dog from a shelter—she’d been rescued from a man in Montreal who was a hoarder and had thirty dogs. When we got her, she was so terrified—if we came anywhere near her food bowl, she would run away. She was so undernourished she had no fur on her belly.
Well, she’s fine now, she eats well :). But anything new, like going to the vet or even riding in the car, she trembles.
Dogs are amazing companions and I’m sure they bring comfort to the troops, but of course, with their intelligence, they must also be at risk of being traumatized.