Excalibur!

On occasion I meet someone who says, “Why do you spend your life treating dogs? Think of all the children in the world who need medical attention!” I know. Most of you would not say such a thing, and when I meet someone with this opinion, I’m often too stunned to have a good reply.

On a personal level, we see how dogs are an integral part of many families and function as surrogate children for many. But it’s hard to explain that to a person who’s never experienced that sort of bond with an animal.

Sometimes we forget all the other ways in which dogs impact our society. The police dogs, the search and rescue dogs, dogs who help people with psychological problems such as depression or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, dogs who assist people with autism or seizures… not to mention the service dogs who help people with vision, hearing or mobility issues!

Excalibur, Excalibur. What a great name for a dog! Excalibur, a dog who used to fear running water, was in the news yesterday for saving his master from drowning in a bathtub that was filling with water. Excalibur was trained by the Texas Hearing and Service Dogs organization.

Next time someone asks me why people devote so much time and energy to keeping dogs healthy, I’ll know what to say. “Excalibur!”