We sometimes hear about dogs that are abandoned and our hearts really go out to them. For those of us who have a loving relationship with a pet, we can’t even imagine what would cause someone to do such a thing.
Perhaps that is why an Air Force veteran named Carl Anderson was so disturbed when he saw a car pull up to a local park.
He lives in the area, which is in Colorado Springs, and when the vehicle pulled up, the door opened and a dog got pushed out.
It’s unthinkable for most of us to even consider dumping a dog in this way. Anderson was also quite upset over the situation, so he went over to check on the dog and make sure he was okay.
When Anderson spoke to a local news station, he said that the dog was skittish and would not come to him. He went out the next day and found the dog sitting at the same place but this time, the dog responded to his offer for some food and water.
The Humane Society of the Pike’s Peak Region received the dog, whom they named Bruno. Anderson knew that he did the right thing by calling in the professionals, but he also knew that Bruno had touched his heart.
You see, he is more than just a man that lives in the area with a kind heart, he also volunteers for a local nonprofit, Victory Service Dogs. They train dogs to care for first responders and veterans in the area of Colorado Springs.
Since Bruno is still young, he can also be made part of the program and can be trained as a service dog. That is where Bruno is today, as the shelter is allowing Anderson to foster the dog and he is being trained.
In speaking with the news station, Anderson said: “My family’s already falling in love with him so it won’t be easy passing him on. From whatever life he left behind unwillingly to helping make someone else’s life better.”
They did manage to locate Bruno’s former owners and they are facing charges of cruelty to animals.
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
