Assistance dog is life-changing for Bundaberg teen Summer Farrelly, who lives with autism
WedWednesday 13
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WedWednesday 13
JanJanuary 2021 at 11:35pm
Summer Farrelly and her assistance dog Onyx, who she describes as a friend and an anchor .
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For Bundaberg teenager Summer Farrelly, the simple act of walking into a shop to buy milk can be overwhelming and exhausting.
Key points:
Certified assistance animals help people living with a variety of physical or mental disabilities and symptoms
For people living with autism, the dogs can help to reduce anxiety, alert owners to triggering situations and assist in improving communication skills
Police officer grieving loss of service dog after non-profit organization takes him back
Two first responders in the Maritimes say they received service dogs who weren t properly trained, including a Halifax Regional Police officer who says her Labrador retriever Archie was taken back by the service-dog organization after a year and a half of bonding.
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This time our canine companions are joining the battle against the coronavirus, sniffing out infections.
Four dogs are in training at a facility in Maui, Hawaii, learning to detect COVID-19 with their noses, according to the Maui News. The trainers use sweat samples collected from individuals who have tested positive and negative for the virus. Samson, a golden retriever, and Labrador retrievers Yuki, Sadie and Tess are the pioneers in the work.
“We are really hopeful this will have a practical application and it can be another screening measure for people arriving in Hawaii, especially those people who are asymptomatic,” Maureen “Mo” Maurer, executive director of Assistance Dogs of Hawaii, told the newspaper.