Happy National Dog Day! Like so many other people living with dogs, I have to think everyday seems like their day. But why shouldn’t it be? Who else is always thrilled to see you? Listens to you complain or rant and gives you an encouraging lick on the face to tell you he/she hears you? Who else will eat your cooking, even when it is a bomb? One special day isn’t too much to give.

As service dogs, dogs provide all kinds of help. I saw today where a dog was trained to detect computer devices etc. and it was a dog that found the thumb drive which contained the incriminating items on Jared Fogle, the disgraced former Subway spokesperson. Dogs can sense things. Maybe we need to put them in gun stores to weed out the nutjobs that are buying guns.

Yesterday brought the news of the 14 year old with a gun that held other students hostage in WV and today, two journalists were killed by a former coworker during live TV. Two young professionals mowed down before the shooter turned the gun on himself hours later.

It would be easy to harp on gun control laws but why bother? If the killings at Sandy Hook, the Colorado theater shootings and the countless other mass murders haven’t moved the needle on that, what will? So, I’d ask the Donald, if he can break away from insulting women, hyper-focusing on immigration and in general, acting like a bully, what will you do about mental health issues? Yep, mental health issues, because that seems to be at the root of most of these issues. People don’t have access to decent mental health and we have a system that doesn’t weave in mental health records with the database people use for background checks for guns. We live in a society that tries to hide mental health issues.  I’d like to hear your thoughts on that Donald. I would ask the other candidates, but no one else seems to be running. It’s all about Donald.

In other mental health news, it was reported Josh Duggar is entering a long-term treatment center for his porn and sexual addictions/issues. I sure hope that Josh gets the help he needs. Had his parents gotten him qualified help all those years ago, would Josh be tabloid fodder today? Hard to say but a society that embraces mental health help might make it easier for troubled individuals and their families to get the help they need. In the meantime, we need help protecting the innocent from them.

Dogs help people with PTSD. Maybe they could be taught to help with other issues too. Man’s best friend to the rescue. See, they do deserve their day today.