Published 11:40 IST, December 21st 2019
Labrador sacked from guide dog program for chasing squirrels, will now work as therapy dog
A five-year-old Labrador called River was dropped from the guide dog program because she was too interested in chasing squirrels, will now be a therapy dog
A five-year-old Labrador named River has recently been sacked from her guide-dog training because she got too occupied with chasing squirrels and instead of guiding the blind. But her energetic nature and demeanour made her the perfect fit for another type of challenge. She has been recruited by Kent Police to become a therapy Dog.
Squirrel chasing therapy dog
As a therapy dog for the Kent Police, River will be helping vulnerable victims and arrested suspects. The labrador will become a part of a pilot project at the Maidstone Police Station in Kent, United Kingdom. The dog will be helping vulnerable and young children who have been taken into custody for whatever reason. Sergeant Ian Sutton of the Kent Police said that they often have to deal with people that suffer from behaviour abnormalities, whether it be due to predisposed illnesses or the stress of being at a police station.
The Sergent also added that sometimes being detained can exaggerate the mental issues for some people and that is where River will be of help in keeping people calm and de-escalate the situation.
The custody canine will only be used for detainees who seem vulnerable to the stress of custody. Before starting at the police station River had to be assessed by Kent Police's dog unit trainer; they had to ensure that River would be able to handle the changing environment of the police station and adorable pooch passed with flying colours.
In another incident, a recent Facebook post by the Lathrop Manteca Fire District in California has become an internet sensation and left the netizens amused as the fire department was called out to retrieve a dog who chased a cat up a tree. According to the post, the dog, a Geman Shephard, chased the cat up a tall tree after which it found himself unable to climb down. The fire department also shared photos where one can see the firefighters using a ladder to get the stranded dog back on the ground.
Updated 12:24 IST, December 21st 2019