Dogs in the swim to save lives

From Italy, via the Associated Press and NPR, comes the story of canine lifeguards on hand (paw?) to help swimmers who get into trouble.

Read the entire story here.

These "lifedogs" wear a harness or tow a buoy that victims can grab, or a raft they can sit on to be towed back to shore, and unlike their human counterparts, they can easily jump from helicopters and speeding boats to reach swimmers in trouble.

With millions flocking to Italy's crowded beaches each summer, the Italian Coast Guard says it rescues about 3,000 people every year — and their canine helpers are credited with saving several lives.

Training takes three years to reach expert rescue status.

Roberto Gasbarri, who coordinates the Italian School of Canine Lifeguards program in the seaside town of Civitavecchia, said 300 dogs are fully qualified for duty.

"The dog becomes a sort of intelligent lifebuoy. It is a buoy that goes by itself to a person in need of help, and comes back to the shore also by himself, choosing the best landing point and swimming through the safest currents," he said.

Any breed can be trained as long as the pooch is at least 66 pounds.

What a great idea, don't you think?

Dogs to help returning troops with PTSD

The federal Department of Defense is looking into using dogs to counter the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder.

This article in the Kansas City Star tells more.

So the Defense Department is financing a $300,000 study that will pair troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with dogs trained to sense when their masters are about to have a panic attack and give them a calming nudge or nuzzle.

These psychiatric service dogs have been assisting people with a variety of mental illnesses since the late 1990s. About 10,000 such dogs are now in use.

New but preliminary research suggests that the dogs may be particularly helpful for people with PTSD.

Researchers presented their findings Thursday at a military health research conference.

Sounds like a great way to spend defense funds, doesn't it?

Bill for veteran service dogs introduced by new senator

Brand-new Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., introduced his first piece of legislation Wednesday.

The bill would provide service dogs for injured veterans.

An article in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune gives the whole story.

As more veterans return from Iraq, service dogs are emerging as an innovative way to provide vets with both mental and physical support. The animals, which undergo intensive training, help their owners retrieve items, remind them to take medication and ... help them keep their balance. Canine companionship also lessens the effects of post traumatic stress disorder, a growing problem for returning veterans.

Franken's bill — an amendment to a 2010 military funding bill — would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to create a pilot program training at least 200 service dogs and give them to veterans with physical and mental disabilities. The training would be done through nonprofit organizations.