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From NorwalkPlus.com Pets
The day they will never forget began with Missy taking David , her 2 year old son, for a walk with her baby daughter in a backpack, and her German shepherd, Juno, by her side. At one point, David and Juno went on ahead. Suddenly Juno showed great interest in something in the grass near David, and looked back at Missy in distress. As Missy got closer she could not see anything but heard a hissing sound. With David out of Missy's reach, Juno positioned herself between David and the 24” snapping turtle, and began barking. As David backed away, Juno got right in the turtle's face as it lunged toward David. The turtle sunk its mighty jaws into Juno's nose. Juno screamed in pain, lifted the turtle off the ground and tried to free herself from the turtle's grasp. It seemed minutes before Juno freed herself. To her horror, Missy realized that Juno was bleeding profusely. With hysterical David in Missy's arms, daughter in her backpack and wounded Juno trotting by her side, she ran back to the house, jumped into her car and rushed to the veterinarian. Juno's nose was a mess for a while, but healed with only a small, pink scar. Her badge of courage. Missy clutched her children and furry protector close to her, grateful for Juno's heroic act and recovery. “Juno is the most wonderful animal I have ever known.” Juno continues to be like a nanny to the children. When they lived on the east coast, their house was located on a heavily trafficked road. Juno patrolled the front of the property, drawing a visual line, between the house and the curb. If the children came too close to that line she would hop around and gently shepherd them back. Now, with three small children, and a fourth on the way, Missy has been either pregnant or carrying a newborn most of the time since Juno arrived. Missy's husband is a doctor and frequently works long hours. During these times, Juno becomes her able companion and helper. Missy relies heavily on Juno when visiting her family. This requires several days on the road, with lots of organization and teamwork. While walking with one child, carrying another, carrying suitcases and a port-a-crib into a hotel, it is such a comfort to know that Juno is alongside, herding them, checking their every step, and showing her agitation when they get out of line. Missy knows that “Juno is always ready to do whatever it takes to protect the children.” According to David, “Juno is the beautifullest, smartest, greatest dog in the world.” We quite agree. About the author: SHERRY BENNETT WARSHAUER is an award winning author of two non-fiction books: Everyday Heroes and Tails of the Heart. Both of these books detail the extraordinary and heart warming experiences of dogs trained by Guiding Eyes for the Blind. In addition to her non-fiction works about these dogs, she writes children's books and raises and trains service dogs for Guiding Eyes. She makes her home in Stamford, with her husband, the therapy dog they have raised, and the puppy they hope will become a guide dog. About the column: “K-9 HEROES” This column is written as a living tribute to the extraordinary dedication and courage of dogs and people. We call these dogs “heroes” because of their work as guide dogs for the blind, crime fighters for the Connecticut State Police, search and rescue dogs as well as therapy dogs. The boundless effort these dogs continue to make to improve the lives of those they serve illustrates how one person's life can be dramatically changed by the love and help of a dog. About Guiding Eyes for the Blind: Guiding Eyes for the Blind, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded in 1956 to enrich the lives of blind and visually impaired men and women by providing them with the freedom to travel safely, thereby assuring greater independence, dignity and expanded horizons of opportunity. Since that time, Guiding Eyes has become one of the foremost guide dog schools in the world, graduating more than 7,000 guide dog teams. It provides superbly bred Guiding Eyes dogs, professional training and follow-up support services to students at no cost to them and depends upon contributions to fulfill its mission. The comprehensive cost of breeding, raising, preparing, training, and supporting a Guiding Eyes team is $45,000. Guiding Eyes for the Blind's Headquarters and Training Center is located in Yorktown Heights, New York and the Canine Development Center is in Patterson, New York. Visit them at www.volunteer.guidingeyes.org or call 866-GEB-LABS for additional information. © Copyright by NorwalkPlus.com © Copyright by NorwalkPlus.com. Some articles and pictures posted on our website, as indicated by their bylines, were submitted as press releases and do not necessarily reflect the position and opinion of NorwalkPlus.com, Norwalk Plus magazine, Canaiden LLC or any of its associated entities. Articles may have been edited for brevity and grammar. |
