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Frightened dogs to be comforted during Florida fireworks by local sheriff’s chain gang

What a grand idea.

The Fourth of July can be absolutely terrifying for our four-legged friends, so one sheriff in Florida is looking to use his resources to provide some comfort for some petrified pups.

Dogs are man’s best friend, and we certainly have a unique bond with our canine companions.  They listen to us, they execute our commands, and they even look to us instinctively when they have a problem to solve…unlike their wild ancestors.  Give a wolf a riddle to solve in order to get a reward, and they will simply attempt the task until it is completed or they have exhausted their interest, even with humans in the room.  Dogs, on the other hand, will attempt a solution only preliminarily before looking to the human for help.

This unique, millennia-old bond doesn’t mean that dogs understand everything about the human world.  If they did, they would know to look both ways before crossing the street.

They certainly don’t understand fireworks, gunshots, or other concussive reports either, as evidenced by the number of dogs who find themselves in precarious situations due to things like fireworks.

Frantic pups in one Florida town will have some help getting through the Fourth of July festivities tonight, however, after a local sheriff had a grand idea.

…Brevard County designed a program to comfort the dogs as well as “help add purpose to the lives of inmates incarcerated at the Brevard County Jail.”

Inmates on the jail’s chain gang and other work crews will read to, play with and give treats to dogs at the Animal Care Center during the peak hours of celebration on Thursday, Sheriff Wayne Ivey said in a statement on Facebook.

The Sheriff believes that this endeavor will be a two-way street as well.

“Our goal is to not only help calm the dogs but also to help build and instill a sense of purpose and compassion in the inmates that will hopefully aid them as they transition back into society once the have served their time,” Ivey said.

If you have a pup at home who is adverse to the celebratory cacophony, here are a few tips from the folks at ABC News:

 

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