Dog therapy against shellshock
Dog therapy is becoming more and more common in today’s world and dogs are often used to help soldiers get over the stress caused by battles. This is the story of Joe, a very special therapy dog.
The story of Joe and his work
Joe is specifically trained to seek out soldiers suffering from battle related mental illness, commonly known as “shellshock”, so that when he notices someone suffering from anxiety or depression, he knows just what to do.
Joe and his handler, Navy Lieutenant Commander Tracy Krauss, work at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, which is a military hospital in Virginia.
The two go room to room, and when Joe senses someone’s having troubles, he goes and lies at his feet. “He’s identified 47 people showing signs of emotional distress, 7 of those people admitted to having a suicide plan”, said Krauss. It is not sure exactly what it is Joe’s key, but whatever it is, it seems to work perfectly since he’s never been wrong.
It is thought, however, to have something to do with particular smells we put off under stress and body language.
What really matters is trying to save lives, and everyday Joe proves to be very good at it.
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