Cão farejador morto por causa da cocaína?

Eu sou suuuuper a favor dos cães que trabalham nas funções para as quais foram criados, pois afinal a vida deles é bem mais interessante e cheia de novidades do que os cães cujo único trabalho é ser o pet de alguém. Os cães farejadores da polícia, por exemplo, vivem em função do trabalho para o qual a sua raça foi criada, ou seja, usar o seu apurado nariz para descobrir coisas.

Tenho restrições ao uso de cães para outras finalidades, como os cães-guia de cegos por exemplo, pois acho que esses levam uma vida tediosa, não podem se distrair com nada ou o dono se machuca. Na rua os cães-guia são treinados a ignorar outros cães, gatos, aves, pessoas, carros, etc. Eles são treinados a focar *sempre* no caminho que estão seguindo, para evitar os obstáculos e conduzir o dono com segurança.

Voltando aos cães farejadores, em 26 de janeiro de 2009 foi publicada uma matéria no jornal Metro do Reino Unido informando que *talvez* o trabalho de farejar drogas tenha sido o causador do câncer que tirou a vida de um springer spaniel chamado Max. A veterinária que cuidava do cão desde 2006 não descarta a possibilidade do constante trabalho ao longo de 7 anos ter sido a causa do câncer de nariz, raro entre cães. Max pode vir a ser o primeiro caso registrado no Reino Unido de câncer canino causado por cocaína. Devido à agressividade do tumor, o cão foi sacrificado. A notícia completa segue abaixo.

A crime-fighting sniffer dog who helped put scores of drug offenders behind bars has died of nasal cancer which may have been caused by his police work.

Heroic springer spaniel Max is believed to be Britain's first known victim of canine cocaine-induced cancer.

Seven years of sniffing out class A drugs contributed to his death, his vet and police handler fear.

'It is ironic that the wonderful organ that made him successful in his work has been his demise,' said Insp Anne Higgins.

'Up until a couple of weeks ago he seemed fine and was doing really well but it was an aggressive tumour.

'I took him into the station, which he usually loved and it was his favourite place but that day he did not show any reaction to being there and we knew then he was not right. He was a fighter until the end and always very dignified.'

Max was put down at Tiverton police station, in Devon, on Sunday.

'It was very hard but we had to do it,' said Insp Higgins.

Kate Fairclough, who was Max's vet since 2006, said: 'Sniffing drugs could well have been a factor – I certainly cannot rule it out.

'Nose cancer in dogs is not all that common only about one to two per cent of all cancers in dogs affect the nose. He was a lovely dog.'

Max was forced to retire from Avon and Somerset Police last November after suffering a hip complaint.

But his running days were far from over after he was fitted with a chariot-style set of wheels to get around on.