‘Dr. Peyo’ the Therapy Horse Will See You Now! MEET FRANCE’S 4-LEGGED DOCTOR
Imagine you’re sitting in a French hospital, minding your own business and waiting for a doctor to see you. Suddenly, the elevator doors slide open and a full-sized horse clip- clops out into the waiting room! That might sound like something out of a children’s book, but it’s actually a regular occurrence at Calais Hospital. There, a therapy horse named Peyo visits sick and dying patients to help ease their anxiety, bring them comfort, and distract them from their pain. Peyo — affectionately known as “Dr. Peyo” by the staff at Calais — wasn’t always a therapy horse. In his early life, he competed in dressage, but it didn’t take long for his trainer to realize Peyo was more interested in the crowd than the competition. In a moving article
about Peyo, The Guardian reported, “After shows, he would pick out people in the crowd, approach them, and choose to stay next to them.” This was the first sign of Peyo’s secret talent: Like a bomb-sniffing dog, it appears Peyo can detect cancerous tumors. In the hospital, he uses a raised hoof to point his trainer toward rooms he’d like to visit. Inside, he comforts the dying patients and their families. “What really pushed scientists to take an interest in him and open the health establishment doors to us was this [seeming] ability to greatly reduce [the patients’ dosage of] all hard drugs and thus allow a more peaceful departure,” Peyo’s trainer, Hassen Bouchakour, told The Guardian.
Peyo has been working as a therapy horse since 2016 and stood vigil by the bedsides of more than 1,000 people, bringing them comfort and letting their children ride him through the hospital halls. It’s an amazing achievement for a 15-year-old horse! Of course, Peyo is far from the only animal visiting hospitals to bring people comfort. Here in the U.S., Johns Hopkins partners with more than 15 volunteer therapy dog teams that make patients smile, lower their blood pressure, improve their mood, and reduce their pain. At least 45 hospitals in the country have similar programs. Want to know if your local hospital employs therapy animals? Visit their website to find out. You might be surprised by what you learn!
Women Truck Drivers Are On The Rise 3 Reasons Why Women Are Entering The Trucking Industry
March 8 is International Women’s Day, and this is the perfect time to talk about the amazing women who have become truck drivers. Their presence has gotten stronger within the trucking industry over the past few years, and it’s great to see. Men have primarily dominated the truck driving industry, but many women are taking this career path since it’s a viable job for anyone. Only 16.7% of drivers are women, but that number is steadily on the rise. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why women are deciding to be truck drivers. SHORTAGE OF DRIVERS We have seen a decrease in the number of drivers over the past few years. Because of this need for drivers, women have filled the role to ensure that stores, businesses, and citizens get the supplies and resources they need. Due to the pandemic, there have been a lot of layoffs, especially within the restaurant industry. To make up for this, women have decided to take the wheel and get on the road so they can pay their bills and support their lifestyles. BETTER INCOME The pay within the truck driving industry has increased almost 5% since last year. According to the Labor Department, truck drivers make more than $27.50 an hour. This is higher than what women
could make in the restaurant industry, making trucking an attractive career choice. You can make up to
$45,931 to $85,000 a year by being a truck driver — if you have a clean driving record.
JOB SECURITY Unlike most jobs, truck drivers are needed for every industry and profession. Without truck drivers, many of the products we need couldn’t be distributed. In addition, cities and towns rely on drivers to keep their economies running. Because of this high demand for resources, truck drivers are always needed. Thank you to all of the incredible women who’ve decided to become truck drivers. You and your fellow drivers are helping so many people with your service. None of us would be able to live the lives we are if it wasn’t for your hard work and dedication. If you find yourself with a traffic ticket, allow your friends at Bigger & Harman to assist you. You’ve done so much for us, so let us repay that favor and look at the citation for you.
2 | www.bakersfieldtraffictickets.com
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