When a condominium collapsed in Surfside, Florida, approximately 100 people perished, and numerous others were injured. Emotions were at an all-time low as victims and their families and friends were shocked by what happened. People were mourning, and they needed mental and emotional help as well.
To help in the Surfside search and rescue operation, crisis response teams from around the country traveled to the area. From Philadelphia, a group of specially-trained dogs also came to help. One of them is Teddy, a six-year-old labrador mix who specializes in comforting those who are grieving.
Back problems
Joining Teddy was his owner Sophie Barrett, an experienced member of their local crisis response team. When they arrived, the two and the rest of the group immediately got to work. Teddy and Sophie went to the reunification center, where many victims congregated. The dog snuggled and played with the humans who needed him.
Three weeks after arriving in Surfside, Sophie noticed that her dog was struggling to stand up. His back legs were weak, and couldn’t support his weight. A quick visit with a vet showed that Teddy had a herniated disc and a tear in the ligament in his knee. His owner thinks the injury must have been caused by the long walks over rubble while carrying a bag on his back.
Private jet
Sophie and Teddy stayed in Florida for several weeks so he could have therapy and acupuncture to relieve his symptoms. But eventually, they had to go home. Riding commercial was not an option as staying in the plane’s cargo hold for a long flight could be stressful for him. Driving would be even rougher.
Sophie reached out for help, and fortunately for them, a private aviation company heeded her call. They offered one of their small luxury jets for Teddy to use. According to the company’s owner, Teddy was a hero for what he did in Surfside and deserved first-class treatment. It was a fitting reward for a selfless dog.
Source: Crisis Response Canines via Facebook
