Thursday, January 14, 2010

Protective Pets

The news about earthquakes this week has been horrible, especially in Haiti. But one story that sticks with me because of its positive message is one about a dog in Northern California.

I first saw the story on TV, and then looked it up on the Internet. A lab mix hanging out at a newsroom where her owner works sensed the earthquake before any people did. The area was being filmed by a camera, so viewers can see the dog just lying there, then looking startled and dashing off just moments before the chaos of an earthquake begins. The written part of the story goes on to say that the dog wasn’t running away, but went dashing off to find her owner, then herded her owner out of the building.

Amazing, how the differences in dogs’ senses from ours allows them to appear almost psychic sometimes! I’d imagine that this particular dog must have heard the tremor’s rumbling with her keener sense of hearing before the chaos reached the earth’s surface. Or perhaps she also felt it, since she was lying on the floor.

It was also very sweet, and a tribute to the relationship between the owner and her dog that the pup acted protectively, rather than running away.

There are, of course, a lot of animals that are trained to help their owners with various health issues--sensing seizures, helping disabled people reach things, whatever. I was also intrigued recently to see a news story about an organization that takes in disabled dogs and helps to fit them with prosthetic and other devices to help them walk, then finds them new homes.

I love the idea of a symbiotic relationship between people and their pets, each helping the other. I’ll probably use some of these ideas in a new Lauren Vancouver, Pet Rescue mystery. What’s your favorite story of pets helping people, or vice versa?

10 comments:

Janie Emaus said...

Hi,
I don't have a favorite story, but I did hear about this incident. The more I read your blog, the more I want to get another dog.

Linda O. Johnston said...

I'd have a hard time not having a fur-kid or two around, Janie--although I'm not looking forward to any earthquake around here for mine to sense.

Joanna Campbell Slan said...

My dogs help me just by being my office mates. (Although I secretly think they whisper, "Wrong usage of comma there, Joanna." Maybe they're angling for co-author status? I know that during our walkies, I get my best ideas.

Linda O. Johnston said...

My pups are definite distractions, Joanna--but inspirations, too!

Monica Ferris said...

Any time I adopt a cat from the local shelter I'm aware I'm saving its life. Sometimes the animal seems to sense that and is grateful; other times the attitude is more like, "Well, it's about time you got here!" LOL

Joanna Campbell Slan said...

When we adopted Rafferty, the vet said that dogs seem to sense when they've been "saved" by a human, and that they react with gratitude. I haven't noticed gratitude, but I have noticed he doesn't want to let me out of his sight!

Linda O. Johnston said...

I love how pets communicate with us without speech, Monica and Joanna. It's often easy to figure out what they're "saying" anyway.

Betty Hechtman said...

All of my pets have come from shelters or the street. I don't think they ever forget having been abandoned.

Betty Hechtman said...

All of my pets have come from shelters or the street. I don't think they ever forget having been abandoned.

Linda O. Johnston said...

Because I so adore Cavaliers, my dogs have come from kennels so they don't know that kind of terrible abandonment background, Betty. We'd never hurt them, but I worry sometimes that they're so very trusting of people.