Portland 1927: A boy and a dog during Be Kind to Animals Week
Photo Credit: Maine Historical Society
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How many faithful dogs served their masters well in Maine can never be known. What is known, is that throughout the years many people in Maine have relied on dogs to assist in everyday life and to provide companionship.
Above and beyond their place as family companions and in traditional service occupations, dogs in Maine serve in an ever-widening spectrum of therapeutic roles. The physical and emotional benefits to humans that come from relationships with dogs are now recognized and utilized by psychiatric facilities, assisted living centers, hospitals, schools and even prisons.
Today, dogs contribute more to the welfare of individuals and society than perhaps any other time in the history of the human dog bond. Additionally, increased awareness of the importance of humane care and control of dogs, the enactment and enforcement of leash laws, and dog bite prevention education, have all been instrumental in drastically lowering the number of reported dog-related injuries nationwide.
National Canine Research Council