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How many dogs served their masters faithfully in West Virginia can never be known. What is known, is that throughout the years many people in West Virginia have relied on dogs to assist in everyday life and to provide companionship.
While dogs continue to serve in many of their traditional functions, dogs have taken on new and unique tasks that enhance the lives of their owners and the community. Therapy, medical assistance, and search and rescue are only a few of the many services dogs provide to the residents of West Virginia.
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.
National Canine Research Council