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Teaching Dogs to Drive Mini Coopers in Bid to Find Adoptive Homes

avatar By Jeanne Goddard

06 Dec 2012 39 views
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Teaching Dogs to Drive Mini Coopers in Bid to Find Adoptive Homes
Every year, the SPCA needs to find homes for thousands of dogs that have been abused, abandoned, or just forgotten. The dogs may be mutts, but they are smart -- and this organization of animal lovers in New Zealand decided to prove it. They have been training three shelter dogs to drive a Mini Cooper.

Every year, the SPCA needs to find homes for thousands of dogs that have been abused, abandoned, or just forgotten. The dogs may be mutts, but they are smart — and this organization of animal lovers in New Zealand decided to prove it. They have been training three shelter dogs to drive a Mini Cooper.

The head "driving coach" is Mark Vette, a professional Animal Psychologist, Zoologist and Director of the team. They designed a driving simulator to use indoors to teach the pooches the basics — how to stop and move forward. The Mini Cooper itself needed to be modified so the drivers could actually reach the pedals.

The rescue dogs will take their official road test on LIVE television in Aukland on Dec. 10.

International audiences can follow their progress on Facebook at www.facebook.com/drivingdogs

"Animals this smart deserve a home," said one of the trainers. All three of the canine drivers are still up for adoption.

(WATCH the video below) – Thanks to Xkim for submitting the link!

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