Over the last few years we have come to realize the remarkable abilities of animals to help people with various forms of disability to lead more normal lives. At present it is mainly dogs that have shown that they can tell when a person is going into a seizure or have a heart attack. Dogs can also be good house helpers for people who are physically limited, by loading and unloading the washing machine, putting clothes away in the drawers and fetching. They can also help a deaf person by alerting them to visitors, the telephone or to danger within the house.
The dogs used in the military develop very strong ties with their masters. These dogs may be trained to sniff out bombs and do so, putting their lives at stake. The service of a military dog is so valued and respected that these dogs are awarded medals for their service. The partnership of a military dog trainer and his dog is very close. Whenever a dog is killed in the line of duty, it receives a military burial. In the death of a military dog, this close relationship between man and his dog often results in severe depression.
Horses are sensitive creatures and people who go to therapeutic riding programs will attest to their empathy with those who have physical or emotional problems. Even children who have emotional difficulties feel safe and soon develop rapport with a horse and learn to trust him or her.
Nursing homes and some hospitals notice how a resident cat will go visiting the lonely and those needing comfort, conveying a certain peace and serenity.
Animals in the wild can develop a friendship with another animal of a different species entirely, spending time playing or just being together. In some situations one animal will bring food to another who is sick. There are many interesting cases that prove animals have feelings and emotions just as much as we do, except they may express them differently. If two dogs are used to being together and one becomes sick, the other will often stay around the sick animal and show visible signs of sadness or empathy. Chimpanzees are very much like humans in many ways, and often show their attachment or affection for another animal who has become a friend.
A photographer was climbing a hill to watch the setting sun and noticed a chimp heading in the same direction. He watched the chimp as it gazed at the sun drop below the horizon and then climbed back down the hill.
There was a touching story of a retired circus elephant and a little dog who became friends. The little dog sustained a back injury and the vet took the dog and kept him lying on his back until it was safe to move him. Meanwhile the elephant was so disturbed at the disappearance of his little friend that he stayed at the gate for weeks until the vet brought the little dog on a tiny stretcher to see his big friend. The elephant stroked the dog with his trunk and made little noises to show his relief.
Even whales and dolphins can understand verbal commands or commands made by hand signals. These intelligent animals have even been known, working in a twosome, when given the command, to organize their own sequence of tricks.
There is one scientist who is working on teaching a dolphin to recognize new words not associated with tricks. She has studied the clicking language and has been trying to get the dolphins to learn a new word by showing them a scarf as she sends them a new click message. She has not yet been successful, but believes she will find a way for the dolphin to relate the clicking signal to the item she is showing it.
All these illustrations show that animals of many kinds have an intelligence that, though it is different from the human form, can co-operate and work with humans, and have shown an interest and willingness to do so.
This understanding and acceptance that there are other forms of life that show intelligence we can recognize puts an onus on humans to treat animals with more respect. That doesn’t mean we have to dress them up in human clothes or expect them to perform human tricks, but they can be taught to stop barking at everyone that goes past the gate and not lie on the chesterfield. Like humans, if we are respected, we learn more easily what is wanted and dogs are the same. Treat them kindly and they will try their best to please and obey.
Some people think cats are not trainable, but I taught my cat what “no” meant and she understood. If she disobeyed, she received a little smack on her behind as I repeated, “No.”
Even birds have recognizable intelligence that we can understand. Parrots, especially grey parrots, have been known to give humorous and intelligent replies in their exchanges with humans.
It is time to realize that there are many types of intelligence and we need to respect that intelligence is part of a coping mechanism and a natural adaptation to a particular physical and emotional world. Our form of intelligence is not superior to someone who lives in the Kalahari or in the Arctic or an animal that survives eating insects; it is suited to our specific environment at that time. We do not have the spiritual/intelligent understanding of how everything in nature is harmoniously linked and in perfect balance.
When scientists suggested re-establishing wolves in Yellowstone Park they had no idea how wide ranging the effects would be on the whole ecosystem. It had been 70 years since wolves had lived in that area. A few years ago when the film was made the wolves had caused a massive return to the natural order of nature. The deer population was under control, trees had grown up in valleys where deer had decimated their growth, many animal species had returned because of the trees, the river banks were now stable, the rivers flowed smoothly and the natural fauna and flora were flourishing.
Christine Munkerud is a longtime Creston volunteer. The Voice of Experience is a column co-ordinated by the Therapeutic Activation Program for Seniors.
