Canines have had a special bond with humans since the first wolf pup found its way from the garbage dump into the heart of early man more than 15,000 years ago.

According to documented studies, the first domesticated species appeared by the end of the Late Pleistocene era, scavenging on animal remains left behind by early hunters.

These less aggressive wolves, attracted to the campsites by the smell of the hunters’ cooking meat, soon included these areas within their territories, and man became part of the pack.

This two-way street benefited both man and animal, with wolves providing early humans with notice of approaching danger through their growls.

A dog mandible, dated between 14,708 and 13,874 years ago, was found in Bonn-Oberkassel, Germany, in the grave of a man and woman, indicating the importance this particular animal played in the lives of these two individuals.

A scientific study, “Oxytocin-gaze positive loop and the coevolution of human-dog bonds,” by Miho Nagasawa, published April 17, 2015, in “Science” found when dogs and their owners interact, extended eye contact increases oxytocin levels in both species.

According to the study, oxytocin, which plays a role in mother and newborn child bonding, also likely played a role in the coevolution of human-dog bonding.

Unfortunately, the bottom line in today’s world is money.

The above-mentioned studies, plus others not included in this Editor’s View, are not sufficient to convince the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to pay for service dogs for veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

According to a recent Washington Post article by Karin Brulliard, the department cited “a lack of evidence to support a finding of mental health service dog efficacy.”

Brulliard did state, however, the department is engaged in a multi-year study on the topic.

The Department of Veterans Affairs even acknowledges on its website that “owning a dog can lift your mood or help you feel less stressed.”

Dogs can help people feel better by providing companionship. All dog owners, including those who have PTSD, can experience these benefits.

Well, isn’t that the point of a veteran with PTSD having a service dog?

The VA takes a step back, however, by stating, “Clinically, there is not enough research yet to know if dogs actually help treat PTSD and its symptoms. Evidence-based therapies and medications for PTSD are supported by research...”

Brulliard quotes Alan Beck, director of the Center of the Human-Animal Bond at Purdue University.

He says the biophilia hypothesis, the idea that “humans evolved a built-in need to affiliate with other beings, is one reason dogs may have a therapeutic effect on humans.”

“Throughout history, animals gave us some comfort. So if it works for you and me in a relatively normal environment, maybe it has a special role for someone who has depression and stress disorder; that just makes sense,” he said. “The literature does show it’s not bad. And that’s just as important.”

From the ancient campfire to the modern living room, bedroom, nursing home, hospital, courthouse and local library, dogs have proven, maybe not scientifically, but certainly anecdotally, their value to the human spirit. (See story on Ramona in this edition on Page A1.)

Oh, and, let us not forget the placebo effect.

According to WebMD: “Research on the placebo effect has focused on the relationship of mind and body. One of the most common theories is that the placebo effect is due to a person’s expectations.

“If a person expects a pill to do something, then it’s possible that the body’s own chemistry can cause effects similar to what a medication might have caused.”

If, at the very least, a veteran suffering with PTSD experiences the positive, stress-relieving effects of having a service dog due to the long-studied and well-established placebo effect, then the Department of Veterans Affairs should immediately begin paying for these canine companions instead of waiting years for the results of a study that may have been designed to prove what the researchers want to prove.

Deb Palmieri

editor

Parkland Press

Northwestern Press