‘Pet Love’ Is in the Air: A Look at the Human-Animal Bond

Carol L. Fleisher, the writer, director and producer of the Discovery Channel’s moving new documentary, “Pet Love,” originally wanted to call the special “Beyond Kibble.”

“I did hear one expert say the reason dogs and humans are such good friends is that dogs are in a perpetual search for food,” she says, a staple that humans usually supply. “It’s true my golden retriever is constantly hungry, but the bond is much deeper than that.”

That bond is what Fleisher wanted to examine in “Pet Love,” which airs tonight. Narrated by Rebecca DeMornay, the documentary explores how pets are not only companions, but teachers, healers, protectors and caretakers. And there is no shortage of pets filling those roles. Estimates put dog ownership in the U.S. at about 62.4 million while about 64.25 million cats--who generally refused to be “owned”--currently share their lives with humans. All in all, there are about 500 million pets in U.S. homes.

Indeed, the documentary filmmaker, whose “Why Dogs Smile and Chimpanzees Cry” recently won an Emmy, says in most cases pets are considered family. “For anybody with a pet, they know that already,” she says. “I am hoping that this special enlightens people without pets as to what the rest of us have gone so insane over, and maybe inform pet owners as to why they feel so deeply and affectionately toward their pets. We are [both] pack animals and our values match each other so perfectly.”

As a culture, we’ve become increasingly connected to our pets, according to Fleisher, in part because the world is now one of great isolation.

“People are working at home,” she says. “In L.A., you are in your car half of the day. There is no more nuclear family. Kids grow up. Pets are a reliable family. They don’t tell your secrets. You can confide in them. And how many relationships do we get to have in our lives that are absolutely, unconditionally loving? Even your mother wants you to clean up your room.”

The hourlong documentary is filled with stories of extraordinary pets, including one about Towser, a cat who caught 28,899 mice while protecting Scotland’s Glenturret whiskey distillery.

One of the more remarkable profiles is of Dakota, a 7-year-old golden retriever who, according to the documentary, is able to predict and warn his owner, Mike Lingenfelter, when he is about to have a heart attack.

Confined to his home and depressed by his serious heart condition, Lingenfelter was taking antidepressants and tranquilizers until his doctor prescribed a “service dog.” Lingenfelter ended up with Dakota, who had been taught to demand attention and affection from his owner.

And Lingenfelter responded. Within six months he was off his medication and out of the house. “They have found that people with animals heal faster and work better,” he says now. “It just seems to be some kind of emotional bond and need.”

But that isn’t the end of Dakota’s story. While Lingenfelter was visiting a school to talk to kids about animals, Dakota began to fuss--crying and tugging at his owner’s sleeve. Within minutes, Lingenfelter had a heart attack. Researchers believe that Dakota, and other dogs that have predicted heart attacks, smell an enzyme the body gives off prior to an attack.

“My cardiologist will tell you that when the organ gets into trouble it puts off a scent--a chemical that goes to the brain and says, ‘I’m in trouble, send adrenaline,’ ” Lingenfelter says. “It is that scent they are smelling.”

Dakota usually gives Lingenfelter four to five minutes’ notice prior to an attack. “The last time he alerted me for a full-fledged heart attack we were actually in bed sleeping,” he recalls. “He tried to get me up. In fact, he did get me up, but I wasn’t sure what was going on. He is nothing short of incredible.”

This past May, Dakota was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma and given six weeks to live. Lingenfelter was able to get his pet into a research program at Colorado State University and Dakota is currently in remission.

“He’s doing great,” Lingenfelter says. “He’s had 15 treatments of radiation and he has three more chemotherapy treatments. We are fighting to save his life. . . .”

*

Mike Miller didn’t know he had heart problems when he suffered a major heart attack at 36. His 45-pound English setter, Sadie, dragged Miller--four times her weight--nearly a mile home, saving his life.

“I have had Sadie for 3 1/2 years; she was about a year when this happened,” Miller recalls. “She was whining and cried and licked my face. That is something she’s trained not to do. The good Lord just used her as a tool.”

Now when he takes the dogs out hunting, Miller says, Sadie always runs back to check up on him. “She is aware that she did something pretty cool. When I first got her, she was really timid and really scared. The first thing I did was make friends with her. Heck, we have been inseparable ever since.”

* “Pet Love” airs tonight at 9 on the Discovery Channel.