Rescue Dog Helps Woman Through Cancer, Having Lost Past Owner to Disease

A mother of two battling cancer has described the role her rescue dog has played in helping her fight the disease.

Bonnie, an English pointer and blue tick hound mix, has always been so much more than just a dog to her owner, Lauren Mayer of Akron, Ohio.

"She's our angel dog," Mayer told Newsweek. "She has such a calming presence about her. I feel like she was meant to be by people's sides who are struggling. It's like she knew I wasn't OK and has always brought me peace."

Dogs are regarded as highly perceptive animals that can read their owner's mood or, in some instances, tell if they are unwell.

In 2011, a study published in The BMJ highlighted how specially trained dogs were able to detect colon cancer using stool and exhaled breath samples. This method was almost as effective as more traditional types of diagnosis.

Some of this is due to the canine's advanced sense of smell, which, according to a 2006 study in Applied Animal Behaviour Science, is around 10,000 times more acute than a human's.

Dogs are also capable of reading human emotions. In 2016, researchers from the U.K.'s University of Lincoln conducted an experiment in which 17 ordinary domesticated dogs were studied while listening to a variety of sounds paired with images in different combinations. These images showed positive or negative emotional expressions.

The study found that the dogs spent significantly longer looking at the images that matched the sounds on an emotional level.

Bonnie certainly appears attuned to Mayer's situation. She said the dog has been there for her "every step of the way" since she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

"She lays with me when I'm not feeling good, and she always gives me kisses when I'm sad," she said.

That's not necessarily a surprise, given what Bonnie has gone through. "She was my husband's aunt's dog," Mayer explained. "She was unfortunately diagnosed with Stage IV cancer and became too sick to take care of her. When she became really sick, the whole family gathered at her house to surround her with love while she passed."

Mayer and her husband adopted Bonnie soon afterward, with her previous owner's blessing. She quickly became a much-loved member of the family.

"Bonnie is the sweetest dog," Mayer said. "She loves to go on walks and sniff every tree. She follows me around everywhere and loves laying with my two boys, Cam and Kip. They are obsessed with her."

Sadly, just two months after Bonnie arrived, Mayer received her cancer diagnosis.

While the months since have been difficult, Bonnie has been a source of strength for Mayer.

"She has helped me so much," she said. "Going through cancer treatment is so tough on you physically and mentally, and Bonnie has brought me so much joy."

Thankfully, Mayer said she is now in remission. For now, she is focusing on getting better with a little help from friends, family and her four-legged friend.

"My type of cancer requires a three-year-long treatment plan, and even though I'm currently in remission, I still have to receive treatment," she said. "I couldn't imagine going through all this without Bonnie and her unconditional love."

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