He entered the Unipol Domus with his service vest and the logo of the rossoblù club quilted on the “uniform”. On the side the writing “ therapy dog ” and around his neck a nice scarf with the colors of the team on the field, like “a true fan”. The occasion was the Cagliari-Monza match, when Pallino – an American Staffordshire terrier – made his official entrance to the stadium to accompany a person with disabilities, ready to provide assistance if necessary. “It’s the first time in Italy that a dog of his breed has entered a sports facility of this kind”, says the owner, Christian Figus, of the Elite Edition Amstaf kennel in Carbonia . An achievement that is both national and local, considering that the stadium regulations prohibit the entry of dogs , regardless of their size. “But he is special”, explains Figus. “ He is an assistance dog , so he has specific and certified training , and to get the authorization for the stadium we had to wait two years. We have finally received the documents from the Ministry of Health , which certify that the dog can enter and attend the matches to accompany people with disabilities and health problems."

And don't be fooled by his size and his stocky, determined face: "When he works, he is a true guardian angel, he is loving with the people he follows and gives out celebrations and affection to everyone." For the fans, who certainly did not expect to find him on the front line in the Distinti sector yesterday, it was a surprise. As the owner explained, "they welcomed him with joy and surrounded him with love and cuddles. He was very happy, he has a good nature and knows how to handle situations that would put other dogs, of the same or other breeds, in difficulty." Together with Pallino, there was also assistant Stefania Gambacorta , who followed the dog carefully throughout the match.

This result, however, is the fruit of a journey that began years ago, when Pallino entered a sports facility for the first time. "To get him used to such a crowded and noisy environment, with fireworks and unexpected events, we took him to the Carbonia stadium. Every week, training session after training session, he became familiar with the environment, so much so that now he is no longer afraid even of fireworks," says Figus. "In fact, a detail that always surprises those who don't know him is that, unlike other dogs, Pallino enjoys fireworks and watches them calmly. But this is a result that is not achieved with all dogs , even if they are well trained. Pallino is one in a thousand, he has a natural predisposition for this type of work."

In the team with the amstaff there are also other dogs. "Some are specialized in diabetes alert and others, like in this case, are able to recognize the beginning of an epileptic seizure. Pallino is able to perceive it about ten seconds before it happens, activating to provide assistance and immediately call for help."

There are many false myths and prejudices about this breed: «They tell us that they are dangerous and unreliable, but a lot depends on training and how a dog was raised», concludes Figus.

© Riproduzione riservata