Adam: Therapy dog owned by Suzanne and Greg Vening, Florence, MS *
How many faithful dogs served their masters well in Mississippi can never be known. What is known, is that throughout the years many people in Mississippi 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 Mississippi 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, over the past three decades, 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.
* Adam, an Australian Shepherd, was a 2006 AKC Awards for Canine Excellence Honorable Mention Therapy dog.
National Canine Research Council