MEET THE RATS THAT SNIFF OUT LAND MINES HEROISM FROM AN UNEXPECTED SOURCE
When you think
Tanzania-based NGO APOPO found the answer: African giant pouched rats. These rats have several advantages over dogs and humans when it comes to detecting land mines. While they are bigger than your average pet rat — some can be as large as a cat — they’re still light enough that they won’t detonate a land mine if they stand on one. Though they have poor eyesight, they make up for that deficiency with an incredible sense of smell. A fully trained rat can sniff amounts of TNT as small as 29 grams and distinguish it from other industrial substances like motor oil and battery acid. Along with these innate qualities, pouched rats are easy and cheap to train. While a dog can only bond with and work for one master, rats will sniff out land mines under any person’s direction, so long as they get a tasty treat afterward. They can search a 2,000 square foot area in 20 minutes, saving humans from days of dangerous, meticulous work. Between 1995 and 2015, APOPO’s rats found about 13,200 mines in Africa and Southeast Asia. Today, their programs are still going strong, proving that heroism can be found in even the most unlikely of animals.
of animals that could be considered heroic, giant rats probably aren’t the first creatures that pop into your head. Many people still think of them as filthy, disease- ridden little thieves that deserve
eradication rather than a medal. But one nongovernmental organization (NGO) has proven just how heroic rats can be by training them to detect land mines and, in turn, save lives.
Over 60 countries worldwide still feel the effects of wars past every time someone steps on an unactivated land mine. Dogs and metal detectors have traditionally been used to find and safely detonate land mines in these countries, but both methods are costly and time-consuming. A human with a metal detector could take up to four days to clear a 2,000 square foot area of any land mines, and people knew there had to be a faster, safer way.
While summer vacation has been in full swing, the Don Turner Legal Team has been hard at work in our community and in the courtroom. It’s been an active summer between legal meetings and community events, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. This summer in the legal arena, and at the time of writing this, our team obtained substantial settlements for two personal injury cases. This compensation is life-changing for our clients, who were left struggling to pay bills, heal, and move on from debilitating accidents. We have also aided in getting three criminal cases reduced to reckless driving, which allows our clients to keep their licenses and continue to function as contributing members to society. One of our biggest achievements was being able to help a client avoid 10 years in prison over a vehicular homicide charge. Instead, this young, first-time offender will only have to serve 120 days in jail. With no criminal intent or background, this is a substantial shot at a productive future for this client. OUR TEAM STAYS BUSY IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE COURTROOM SUMMER ADVENTURES
the Don Turner Legal Team attended and assisted at Taste
of Alpharetta. With an abundance of well-crafted local food on display, we were filled to the brim and excited for this year’s winners! We cannot wait for next year. We also plan to continue our involvement at Alive in Roswell every third Thursday of the month through October. We will continue to hand out prizes, meet the community, and support local businesses and downtown Roswell. Our fearless leader, Don Turner, is staying involved academically. He will be presenting to a motorcycle driving class about getting the right insurance and protecting themselves from underinsured or uninsured motorists. We cannot think of a better community to be involved in and to represent in the courtroom. Follow our community events by liking us on Facebook. If you or a loved one is in need of legal representation, our team can help. Call 770-594-1777 for a free consultation, or visit DonTurnerLegalTeam.com.
Outside the courtroom, our entire team continues to be involved in community engagements and events. Earlier this summer,
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