Assistance Dogs
Dogs have been helping humans since they first came to live with us. They do so much for us – in ways that are more giving than most humans could possibly imagine.
There are guide dogs for the blind, hearing dogs for the deaf, pets as therapy dogs, dogs for disabled people…
Some assistance dogs appear to have wonderful and fulfilled lives, but others do not. Many are re-homed once their useful working lives come to an end. It should be remembered that assistance dogs are trained for the benefit of humans, and not necessarily for the benefit of the dogs. Just because a charity has the word 'dog' in it, it does not mean it is an animal charity.
This doesn’t, of course, demean the work or benefit for humankind - but it does raise a question when you look at it from the dog's point of view.
Dogs have been helping humans since they first came to live with us. They do so much for us – in ways that are more giving than most humans could possibly imagine.
There are guide dogs for the blind, hearing dogs for the deaf, pets as therapy dogs, dogs for disabled people…
Some assistance dogs appear to have wonderful and fulfilled lives, but others do not. Many are re-homed once their useful working lives come to an end. It should be remembered that assistance dogs are trained for the benefit of humans, and not necessarily for the benefit of the dogs. Just because a charity has the word 'dog' in it, it does not mean it is an animal charity.
This doesn’t, of course, demean the work or benefit for humankind - but it does raise a question when you look at it from the dog's point of view.
We love our dogs and want the best for them - and sometimes that means putting things into perspective and trying to see things as they really are when it comes to how humans and dogs co-exist.
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