This past week we had a conference in St. George with the Utah Animal Control Officers Association (UACOA). It was Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. All of us got to go on Wednesday, most of the morning was introduction and association business, but we learned a lot about DWR and their role verses the role of animal control which was super useful...at least for me. ;) After this lecture Dan, Miranda, Bayley and I all went out to lunch together before heading back to the conference to learn about services animals, and their various roles. After that lecture was more association stuff, nominations and voting for various positions. Non of us were really interested so we got to leave early. Thursday I was off work and wasn't required to go to the conference. Friday the first half was about animal cruelty issues. Which was both difficult and kinda boring. Miranda met Jen, Bayley and I for lunch, she was off work and didn't need to be at the conference. But because she was excited for the classes that were offered Friday afternoon she came. We had a K9 officer from Sandy come down to speak with us about the K9 dogs, their various jobs and roles for the police department. She had her dog Trigg there and the Hurricane officers had the Hurricane K9 Gee there as well to do bite suit simulations. This is what Miranda had been waiting for all week. As soon as the officer gave the word Miranda jumped up and offered to go first. I got video for her and after watching some of the videos and seeing the pictures of dog bites that the officer presented to us. I myself was very leery about getting in the bite suit. But after watching Miranda go multiple times and watching others go. Something inside me said I was going to regret it if I didn't do it. So I asked Miranda to take a video on my phone, and stood up to go get in the bite suit. Bayley asked if I was going to do it and said she was on the fence about it too, but since I was going to do it she would too. Jen was sitting a few rows behind us and saw us walking to change into the bite suits and "gave into peer pressure" :D. We weren't really pressuring her, she just said she didn't want to be the only one not doing it. It was very scary and I think I did black out just a little, but it was also a huge adrenaline rush and I am very proud of myself for myself for doing it. I asked for Trigg, because in case it made me scared I didn't want to be scared of Gee the K9 officer with Hurricane, because we take care of him sometimes at the shelter. The first hit I got from Trigg was my left arm, and he got me good. He actually was able to go through the suit a bit and I have a massive bruise and what appears to be a puncture mark. The second hit was to my right arm and it wasn't bad at all. I will try and post the video it may not work. Overall I learned a lot, did something scary but kinda fun and am proud of myself for doing it.
