Just a week late for the last Friday of September, but here’s some good news for those who follow the We Are the World Blogfest.
From Goodnet.org comes this story of canine lifeguards. Yes, they rescue people in the water–off the coast of Italy.
The canine lifeguards assisted in rescuing a group of 14 people – from three families – who were struggling with high waves and winds in Sperlonga, which is located halfway in-between Rome and Naples, according to CNN.
The group, which included eight children, were trying to get back to shore after their inflatables and dinghies began to capsize, Roberto Gasbarri from the Italian rescue dog school (SICS) told CNN. SICS routinely patrols 30 Italian beaches with over 300 units that contain one dog and one trainer.
Not surprisingly, Newfoundlands make the best water rescue dogs but any breed over 30 kg is acceptable for training.
For more on the story, go here.
It seems like a lot of time to train them (18 months), but it’s hard to argue if this method saves lives. Great story, John!
Yes, dogs do so much for us. Such a long symbiosis we have had over the millennia.
Lovely story John! Our fine furry four footed dogs coming to the rescue! Funnily enough, we watched some home movies last evening that our son had digitalised and one of them was our Labrador pulling same son in a little boat in our swimming pool, 35 years ago ..
I must confess to being a dog lover. Strange ones know it when they see me. We had a Giant Schnauzer years ago and a Blue Heeler mix now.
Great story John. My sister had a Newf, it looked like a bear, lol 🙂
Big dogs! I like them large–but not that big. 🙂