Sniffer Dogs

The German military, in cooperation with the University of Veterinary Medicine in Hanover, is working on training various breeds of sniffer dogs to detect COVID-19 in humans.

Military sniffer dogs are being trained in Germany to detect coronavirus in human saliva by the Bundeswehr and the University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, Foundation (TiHo). A group of 10 dogs, including German shepherds, spaniels and retrievers, are being trained by the military’s animal training facility near Ulmen.

The dogs are being trained using saliva samples from infected people. But before you worry about the animals’ safety – the training samples used to train the dogs have been rendered chemically harmless.

Sniffer dogs can detect drugs and explosives by their molecular composition, as well as being able to smell various kinds of cancer and the hypoglycaemia of diabetes. Their spectacular abilities are what moved scientists to research sniffer dogs’ ability to detect the coronavirus.

So far, the dogs have a success rate of approximately 80 percent. However, it is still yet to be determined if the results will be as successful with active coronavirus samples. “This has to take place under completely different conditions, after all, we have to be sure that nobody can get infected with the highly infectious samples,” said TiHo doctoral student Paula Jendrny.

The military dog training school has said that if it is possible to train a service dog to detect the virus then there “will need to be a discussion in which civil and military areas these dogs should do their work.”

Guide Dog Gets Refused

The 28-year-old businessman from Cardiff, who is blind, claims Uber drivers have left him standing when they see his dog.

He says it is “horrible discrimination” and plans to mount a legal challenge against the firm.

Uber said: “It is totally unacceptable for drivers to refuse to take a guide dog and we investigate every report.”

Mr Williams’ and other taxi passengers’ experiences are due to be highlighted on BBC programme Rip Off Britain on Tuesday.

He says he has taken to speaking to drivers when booking a cab so they know he has the black Labrador retriever travelling with him.

However, he says he often has to try several before he finds a driver who will take him and his dog.

Sometimes cabbies drive off when they see his dog, while others tell him they are allergic to dog hair and refuse to carry the pair.

Mr Williams has retinitis pigmentosa which causes gradual deterioration in sight.

He has been able to see when drivers leave him standing and he says he has a copy of the unfulfilled bookings recorded in his Uber account.

“It makes you feel like a second-class citizen,” he says.

“It shouldn’t be happening in the 21st Century.”

He likes Uber’s app because he can book and pay for a taxi in one go when he is travelling around the UK.

His firm helps companies to be more inclusive and accessible to people with a visual impairment.

Mr Williams has now taken to trying to book a taxi about an hour before he needs it due to the problems he encounters.

“I’ve been late a number of times,” he says.

He believes drivers turn him away because they are concerned about getting dog hair in their vehicles, although some may have a genuine allergy.

The Royal National Institute of Blind People has published its own guidance about how people can challenge discrimination by taxi drivers via a local authority.

Mr Williams and his lawyer Chris Fry told BBC Radio 4 programme In Touch they were taking legal action against Uber under the Equality Act because the issue was happening frequently.

But they are first awaiting a Supreme Court decision following a separate legal hearing that will decide whether Uber drivers are employees as it will affect how their case will proceed.

Uber told In Touch: “It is totally unacceptable for drivers to refuse to take a guide dog and we investigate every report.

“Licensed private hire drivers must carry service animals in their vehicle.

“We highlight this obligation to all drivers before they start using the Uber app and often send reminders.

“Any driver who’s found to have refused to take a service animal will permanently lose access to the app.”

Canine Heroes

The American Kennel Club, the world’s largest purebred dog registry and leading advocate for dogs, is proud to honor ‘Dogtor’ Loki and the Go Team Therapy Dogs with the AKC Paw of Courage awards. The AKC Paw of Courage shows appreciation for the work that dogs do in the service of humankind. These awards recognize dogs who serve their communities, making great impacts in the lives of their human counterparts.

‘Dogtor’ Loki, a two-year-old Rottweiler, is a therapy dog owned by Caroline Benzel, a medical student at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Loki is delivering care packages and smiles in an effort to give back to medical professionals working on the front lines in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. When the COVID-19 outbreak put a halt to in-person therapy visits, Caroline and Dogtor Loki took to their electronic devices to continue their therapy work virtually.

During the virtual visits, Caroline noticed the doctors and nurses being irritated from the constant use of the personal protective equipment and knew she had to do something. She began putting together care packages, which she calls “hero healing kits,” and delivering them to front-line workers with Loki’s help. The dynamic duo has personally delivered more than 5,500 kits and the campaign has taken off nationally, with similar projects started in eight other states. Through generous donations, Caroline and Loki have raised more than $80,000 for the kits, personal protective equipment, food and supplies for frontline workers.

The GO TEAM is an active group of 600+ handler/therapy dog teams working across the United States and Italy. These teams have volunteered with first responders and firefighters during times of crisis including shootings, suicides, floods, fires, and major disasters among other catastrophic events. Teams have also made special visits to countless schools, colleges, hospices, hospitals, and other special events.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, many of the teams around the country had to make changes to their normal routine. Several therapy teams paired up with teachers to do virtual Paws2Read sessions, and many began virtual therapy visits with their patients. Some have also participated in drive-by visits to assisted living homes, fire departments, graduations, birthdays and more. The Go Team therapy dogs have given out hundreds of trading cards which include photos and information of each dog on them and many are actively putting together care packages with essential items to deliver to seniors who may be unable to get out of their houses. As the country is slowly opening, the Go Team is following the city regulated COVID guidelines to plan their future visits. During this trying time, the Go Team therapy dogs have been bringing comfort and relief to people throughout the United States and beyond.

“We are thrilled to honor ‘Dogtor’ Loki and the Go Team Therapy Dogs with the AKC Paw of Courage awards,” said AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo. “These canine heroes are bringing comfort and smiles during tumultuous times and these awards give us a chance to recognize the important work they are doing.”

Other 2020 Paw of Courage recipients included Jackson, an eight-year-old Golden Retriever owned by Bob Wharton, Molly, a ten-year-old Vizsla owned by Connie Priesz, and Phoebe a 10-year-old Belgian Tervuren owned by Dr. Pamela Regan. These therapy dogs have all adjusted to the changing times due to the global pandemic and continue their important work to comfort those in need.

Any dog is eligible to receive an AKC Paw of Courage; the award is not specific to purebred dogs. Paw of Courage awards can be presented to Police K-9s, Military Working Dogs, Therapy Dogs, Service Dogs and other canines that work to make the lives of the people around them safer, easier or just simply happier.

Dog Joins Fire Service Team

The two-year-old spaniel named Phoenix has been trained to detect the location and cause of deliberate fires over the past year.

Pinedale Shootings

Authorities in Pinedale believe they are looking for the same person in a series of shootings that has targeted domestic household animals.

The Sublette County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information from the public regarding a handful of pets that have been shot in the town of Pinedale.

The most recent incident occurred on Monday, June 29. It involved a K9 law enforcement service dog that lived on South Fremont. This was a family dog named “Wilson” that was shot by a firearm and died as a result. This case is being investigated by the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office along with the others.

The shooting of Wilson involves similarities to other shootings reported this year.

Anyone with information about any of the pet shootings is encouraged to call the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office at 307-367-4378.

The Dogs That Sniff

On a sunny, cloudless afternoon in Croatia, a fierce wind known as a bora can whip over the Velebit mountain range and across the Adriatic Sea. When it reaches hurricane force, this cold and dry blast can render the steep, arid terrain—dominated by a porous rock topography known as karst—freezing at midday.

Despite the area’s challenging conditions, humans have eked out an existence here for thousands of years. Archaeologist Vedrana Glavaš, at the University of Zadar in Croatia, grew up in this landscape. “That was where I played as a child and became interested in history and prehistory,” she reflects.

In 2014, she and a team were working on Velebit Mountain when they uncovered parts of a 3,000-year-old hill fort and necropolis. To explore further, she needed more help. In 2015, Glavaš hit upon a surprising and inexpensive innovation: She teamed up with dog trainer Andrea Pintar, whose company Canine Caffe offers specialized “cadaver” dogs that have helped sniff out cold cases for police and find mass graves for local officials.

“Some of the police cases Andrea has worked on are 30 years old,” explains Glavaš. “We both wondered how far back in time her dogs could smell.” What they did not expect was that the dogs would lead them to remains that had been buried in the eighth century B.C. Glavaš, who with Pintar published her research in 2018, says the dogs ultimately turned up more than six unique graves, one some 50 meters away from the rest. Glavaš excavated six of them, yielding stone burial chests, artifacts, and human finger and toe bones.

The dogs proved invaluable, Glavaš says. They uniquely enhanced the capability of typical grave-finding methods, such as field survey, aerial photography, infrared satellite imaging, ground-penetrating radar, and other technologies. And Glavaš isn’t the only archaeologist turning to canine detectives.

Dogs have long been humans’ best friends—fearless protectors, loyal companions, fabulous Frisbee players—and now it seems they may be ideal archaeological assistants too. Like Glavaš and Pintar, other researchers are building on canines’ well-established ability to uncover remains, showing that this skill can be honed to hunt much older quarry.

New research demonstrates that a properly trained pup can pick up the so-called scents of death from remains that are centuries old. Precisely what compounds they’re sniffing out remains a mystery, but the dogs’ efforts could help illuminate bygone millennia.

A dog’s nose can perform at least 10,000 times better than ours. Specifically, dogs can pick up on low-molecular-weight compounds that easily evaporate at room temperature and often carry an odor—what scientists call volatile organic compounds. Canines can detect one such part in every trillion.

As a result, dogs have demonstrated uncanny olfactory abilities. They’ve sniffed out melanoma skin cancer in humans and detected pregnancy in cows just by picking up scents in bodily fluids.

So what exactly are canines detecting at archaeological digs? “Our dogs are not actually searching for bones,” Glavaš emphasizes. “They are searching for the molecules of human decomposition.”

In the case of human remains, dogs could be sniffing for one of several specific molecules. One possibility is that dogs detect the fatty acids in adipocere, a material that scientists have noticed for centuries and is sometimes called  “ corpse wax” or “the fat of graveyards.”

This is a natural byproduct of decomposition. Human fat is converted by bacteria into free fatty acids, which then harden into the soap-like adipocere that can effectively mummify the dead.

Adipocere can also help scientists date corpses. This material has persisted on frozen remains estimated to be more than 300 years old, such as those found in glacier melt in northwestern British Columbia in Canada. In 2009, scientists reported on adipocere found on the 1,600-year-old remains of a child in Germany.

Therapy Dog In Training

Meet Henry, the 1 year old therapy dog in training. Dog mom Maria spoke to Ireland’s Next Top Madra and told us all about her real life teddy bear:

“The idea of Henry becoming a therapy dog came from seeing his lovely personality, he is pure love. When he sits near you, you can’t resist but to give him a hug and someone those hugs just make everything so much better, it’s like it melts your stress away”

“Seeing Henry give our family so much love made me think that it would be so nice to share this with other people. I’ve seen Henry be approached by people on the street just to pet him and straight away he brings a smile to their faces.

“I contacted Irish Therapy Dogs and they provided the information that I need in order for Henry to become a therapy dog.

“For starters he needs to be over 1 year, so in the meantime we’re teaching him a few basic commands and tricks. Because of him still being a puppy his attention span isn’t great yet but sure we are working on it and I’m sure he will do great!”

“Henry’s favourite thing to do is to go for a walk to the park and smell every inch of it! There isn’t a flower or a bit of grass that he will walk by before he smells it! We are lucky that the park where we go and the times that we take him for a walk isn’t too busy so he has plenty of space.”

He may look big, but he’s a complete love bug:

“Also he loves cuddles, he is a big softy and loves to get cuddles from anyone and in return he gives you sloppy kisses”

“Henry even has his own instagram account, it was just a way of recording his life with us,  from the moment he came to live in our house, and his “adventures.”

“I think his account brings a little bit of happiness to whoever watches his stories and that’s what it is all about, especially in these times where everything is so uncertain. I think spreading love and positivity it’s important and Henry def does that. “But hey! There’s still lots of room for improvement – we can not leave any food on the kitchen counter because Henry has become quite the professional thief in the house, he will stand on his two legs and eat it! And leave no trace of any crumbs or break the plate!

“At the start we couldn’t figure out what was happening as he was very quiet… until we caught him in the act! This seems to be his best trick so far!

“He also has a very nice taste in women’s shoes! Especially mine! The higher the heel the better so I had to make sure I put my shoes away otherwise they become Henry’s new possession.”

And it’s his birthday week – we hope there’ll be lots of treats!

Dogs Time To Play

Nova’s owner, Heidi, contacted Snozone after recently discovering that her Bernese Mountain Dog, who is nearly 8 years old, has incurable cancer.

Snozone said: “Nova, a happy, wonderful dog, adores snow and it was one of Heidi’s wishes that her beloved companion would feel snow on her paws once more, before she says goodbye.”

Although they are closed to the public, Snozone made an exception to fulfil Heidi’s wishes. They continued: “Whilst we maintained social distancing at all times and ensured hygiene and safety processes were strictly followed, we were honoured to help briefly distract Nova from pain and discomfort.”

Nova was born in Canada and lived with Heidi in Calgary, working as a hospital therapy dog before they flew back to live in the UK.

Emotional Support Canine

Rhonda, a 1½-year-old canine rescued from a high-kill shelter in the Los Angeles area, lifts her head to get some friendly pats. Outside the Santa Barbra County Fire Department’s Station 12 on Calle Real in Goleta, the brindle dog curls up at firefighter and handler Sam Dudley’s feet and gives a comforting nuzzle with her nose.

Rhonda is the department’s newest member and its first emotional support canine providing comfort to first responders.

Dudley said she did great on her first day just a few months ago during the unprecedented time of Covid-19.

“On her first day, she was utilized,” said Dudley, who is assigned as Rhonda’s handler. “We went up to the OEM  when COVID first kind of kicked off, and all of the people there were working for hours.”

Rhonda is with Dudley at work and at home every day, and she gets a lot of love.

“She’s excited when we go home,” Dudley said. “When I come to work, she is itching to come out of the crate, and when I open it, she jumps out of the truck and runs inside.”

Rhonda will assist firefighters after emotionally challenging calls or with personal issues. She and Dudley are available 24/7 to support all area fire agencies in the county, and they also might be utilized statewide for large incidents.

With firefighters’ post-traumatic stress disorder and depression rates five times higher compared with the general population, Rhonda will help ensure that county firefighters are working at their highest potential and support the agency’s efforts in sustaining healthy careers.

“Right now, if I were to start crying, she would jump up on my lap and kiss me until I stopped,” Dudley said.

Rhonda was trained during a more than nine-month period to recognize signs of agitation, anxiety and stress. She will interrupt those behaviors by providing affection and enabling individuals to express themselves in a safe setting.

She went through the Paws for Life K9 Rescue program that rescues dogs from shelters and trains the canines to assist people enduring extreme stress and to help provide relief from anxiety or distress.

The Los Angeles County-based organization pulls its dogs from area shelters and will put them with incarcerated trainers throughout the California prison system.

The “training process ensures the dog can be safely taken to any scene, and provide comfort, consolation and support regardless of environmental changes,” according to Paws for Life K9 Rescue.

Trainers and professionals in the program teach commands, socialization and behavior to the dog, according to the organization.

“I went and visited,” Dudley said of the prison. “The commotion and all the big personalities and the noise, it was actually similar in some ways to a fire station. There are always alarms going off. There are people running around … she adjusted well.”

Since mid-March, Rhonda has been training out in the field.

“We were doing a lot of training,” Dudley said. “I wanted her and I to connect before I made her available to the rest of the department. Now, we are fully bonded and ready to go.”

The fire department has a peer support team, and members were selected by a survey process that asked for agency staff they would be most comfortable talking to in times of need. The peer support team is made up of the top people selected by fire department members.

“I was one of them,” Dudley said. “It was probably one of the proudest moments in my career. I’m honored.”

A peer support team member is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to listen, support and encourage fire department staff in making the connection to get qualified assistance if needed.

Rhonda plays an important role in bridging the gap between first responders battling a variety of issues and professional help.

“In order for us to help them get the help they may or may not need, they need to open up to us,” Dudley said.

The Santa Barbra Police Foundation’s At Ease program also offers free counseling services and support to first responders in times of need.

“The fire service for a long time, the subject of mental health, and probably for the vast majority of the public, the mental health stuff was kind of a taboo,” Dudley said. “Across the board, all of the departments in the area and throughout the country are seeing the importance of this, and it’s a great time to be in the fire service.”

Research shows that therapy dogs are mood-boosting and provide benefits for physical health and mental health, including helping people relax, reducing anxiety, increasing mental stimulation and more.

“Studies have shown dogs have a truly exceptional ability to allow people to let their guard down to release endorphins, calm down and feel more comfortable, thus allowing people to open up more to peer supporters,” Dudley said. “Then, we can get them the help they may or may not need.”

Rhonda acts as an icebreaker in social situations. She comforts the individual.

“They pet her,” Dudley said. “It’s kind of a distraction initially, and organically she becomes a key part of allowing people to open up.”

Dudley said he has had a dog for as long as he can remember. Rhonda is a sweetheart and she is loving, genuine and caring, he said.

“She is pretty special,” Dudley said.

She wears a custom dog harness that Dudley made, and it includes a patch resembling the patch on Dudley’s shirt, a badge with her name and the No. 5 because she’s the fifth canine the fire department has had. It has two other four-legged members, a live search dog and an accelerant detection canine that has been trained to sniff for evidence of arson.

“At the end of the day, we have three dogs, and dogs do provide us with feeling like we are at home — petting our dog,” Dudley said. “All three of them definitely do provide a level of comfort, but Rhonda has a little more expertise in recognizing that.”

The Wood-Claeyssens Foundation offered donations, and the Manitou Fund supported the purchase of a Ford F150 XL pickup truck, specifically outfitted for Rhonda, to be used by the department for transportation between assignments.

“I have a crate for her in the back, so she is nice and safe when we travel,” Dudley said.

The Pet House in Goleta has offered to supply food for Rhonda and assist with grooming costs.

For Rhonda, she’s ready to provide unconditional love and warmth to the people who protect and serve the public.

“My goal is people become more and more comfortable asking for Rhonda to come and hang out with them,” Dudley said. “My long-term goal is that there are more Rhondas.”

Robotic Pets

When Hythe View nursing home had to close its doors to all but essential visitors in March, the Pets as Therapy dogs could not make their regular visits.

Activities coordinator, Heather Heath noticed that many of the residents were missing the interaction with their furry friends, and the comfort and companionship the animals provide.

After researching alternatives, the home on North Road in Hythe, Kent invested in two robopets.

These robotic pets respond to interaction from the residents and have the look and behaviour of the real thing.

Bonzo the dog and Simba the cat – as named by the residents – have been at the nursing home for most of lockdown and the response from the residents has been remarkable, especially for those who have dementia.

Heather said: “Residents who routinely engage with them have become less agitated, their mood has improved, and it’s reduced their reliance on calming medication.”

Bonzo and Simba promote a very relaxing environment and bring a lot of joy to the residents, often triggering memories of their own pets.

In addition to offering companionship, they have also increased the social interaction between the residents.

Heather added: “Beatrice and Hazel love sitting together with their pets and stroke the animals while chatting to each other.

“It’s heartwarming to see their smiles as their particular pet responds to their touch and voice. Staff have seen some great changes in the residents. Heather also points out that Simba and Bonzo don’t just appeal to those with dementia as many of the residents are aware that the pets are robots, but they still get a lot of enjoyment and comfort from them.