Trained dogs rescue tourists at Italian beaches

Rome: Italy's coast guard has deployed hundreds of specially trained dogs to help rescue tourists on Italy's busy summer beaches.

Each dog works in a team with its human lifeguard "colleague," who is also its trainer.
The duo is trained to rescue drowning swimmers.

The dogs are willing to jump directly from a moving speedboat or jetski into the water to rescue a swimmer.

Every year (m) millions of people gather on the Italian beaches to enjoy the summer sun and the fresh water.

But life at sea can prove quite dangerous.

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Italy's Coast Guard has to intervene in more than three-thousand cases every year to rescue people amid sport players, skin-divers and bathers.

Breeds like Labrador, Terranova and Golden Retriver are the most qualified dogs to be involved in the rescue operation as they have a natural water instinct and for years they've been used by fishermen to bring in fishing nets.

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Every dog is equipped with a harness for victims to hold on to, to make the rescue operation easier.

All the lifeguards are volunteers and the Dog Training School that was founded 21 years ago in the Italian northern city of Bergamo, trains both the lifeguard and the dog throughout the year to prepare them to confront all the risks of summer season.

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They are credited with having saved several lives by taking lifebuoys to swimmers and towing them to safety.

The dogs are trained at 12 schools around Italy.