Animal Tales – October 2019

35

Lila has really shown the world that

pollution is a huge problem and we can all

do our part to contribute to the solution.

—RACHAELLOBECK

the oceans and beaches then so
can you!”

DIVING DEEP
So how does a dog help with an
ocean clean-up? When the 4ocean
team is at the beach, Lila will fetch
plastic bottles, cans and anything
else she can find as she’s walking
along the shore. But that’s not all
she can do. She dives down to the

Has a beloved pet come to your

rescue or saved your life or that of a

loved one? We’d love to hear about

it! Email your story with your name,

address and phone number to:

[email protected]. Or mail

it to: Animal Hero,

Animal Tales,

4 New York Plaza, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10004.

ocean’s

floor to

pick up

litter, as

well. It’s

pretty

impressive

— and

definitely

something

shehadto

betrained

todo.

“Shewas

trainedin a pooltodiveforher

toys,”Rachaelexplains.Her

owner would submerge one of

her favorite toys underwater, and

Lila would have to swim to grab

it. Alex would gradually bring the

toy deeper and deeper into the

water to help Lila master deep end

dives. He also swam laps with her

in the pool to prep her for holding

her breath in the ocean. “She gets

a lot of love and attention when

she dives, which makes her a very

happy dog!” Rachael smiles.

CANINE CALLING

There’s no doubt about it: Lila

loves her “job.” She puts on her

special life vest, which helps

her float in the ocean water

and makes her visible to other

swimmers, and is excited to get

to work. “Lila makes cleaning the

ocean and beaches look fun,”

Rachael smiles. “She’s always very

happy when she participates.”

When she isn’t diving or running

along the beach on a bottle hunt,

she’sridingaroundin her“woof

wagon”withAlex,onthehuntfor

newbeachesthatneedtheirhelp.

Herdedicationis inspiring,and

shegetsresults:Hereffortshave

helpedthe4oceanteampull 5

million pounds of trash from the

water! “Lila is definitely a hero,”

Rachael says. “She’s done a great

job bringing awareness to the

ocean plastic pollution crisis.”

Lila practiced her

doggy paddle for a

while before hitting

the ocean.