Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/therapy-dog-saves-woman-bridge/
A woman came down from the bridge where she was planning to commit suicide after encountering Digby, a defusing therapy dog.
According to a tweet by the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, a woman was thinking of taking her life on a bridge near Exter in the UK. The fire department was called to the scene along with other agencies, but it didn’t seem to be improving.
They said, “Police negotiators were speaking with the woman but the situation was becoming increasingly worrying.”
Thankfully, one of the firefighters had the idea to bring the station’s therapy dog, Digby, along for the call.
They were happy to report that “When Digby arrived, the young woman immediately swung her head round to look, and smiled. This got a conversation started about Digby and his role at the fire service.”
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It seems Digby really made an impact on the woman, and she agreed to come back over the railings to meet the 3-year-old Labradoodle up close.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service
They ended their Twitter thread by saying, “We wish the woman involved all the best in her recovery.”
According to a Facebook post by the department, Digby is a therapy dog who works in defusing situations.
They shared, “Today is ‘Time to talk’ day and Digby our lovely therapy dog helps our firefighters to start chatting after they have experienced a traumatic incident. We call this defusing which helps to protect our firefighters from harm by reducing the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder.”
It seems Digby’s work can go even further than that by saving a life in a high-stress situation. They say animals can have healing energy and Digby goes to prove just that.
After sharing about the incident on social media, Digby became recognized as a hero and the fire department was overwhelmed with kind messages and offers to send Digby gifts.
They said, “Digby, our very own therapy dog, is extremely grateful for all the offers of treats and gifts, but he would rather you donate to people who are in difficult situations.” They linked to their organizations of choice, Samaritans and The Fire Fighters Charity, for those who want to show their support.
Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog
