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365 Urban Species. #112: Domestic Dog
Street dog, St. johns, Antigua. Photo by
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cottonmanifesto.Urban Species #112: Domestic Dog Canis familiaris
No other domestic mammal has had as long and intimate an association with humans as the dog. Molecular evidence indicates that domestic dogs have been distinct from their Asian gray wolf ancestors for at least 15,000 years. (This is nearly 3 times as long a time than any other animal has been domesticated.) Aborigines as far north as the Arctic and as far south as Australia and the South Pacific brought dogs with them as they spread from Asia.
How a dangerous and wary wild predator was genetically transformed into a coworker and companion of humans is a matter for discussion and controversy. The best explanation we have comes from biologist Ray Coppinger, in his highly recommendable book, DOGS: A Startling New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior, and Evolution. Simplified for brevity, the story is this: When humans began to settle into permanent camps and villages, they produced permanent garbage and waste areas. Wild animals made use of the waste areas as a food source. Those wolves that would be the least likely to run from humans (those least likely to have a flight response) began to lurk near villages, and over time, became dogs. The genetic change that needs to occur to change "wild" responses to "tame" responses comes with a whole suite of other attributes: patchy fur color, a tendency for ears to droop, and so on. In short, dogs evolved from wolves to associate with humans--humans didn't capture and domesticate wolves. This makes dogs one of the first truly urban animals.
Today things are much more complex. There are still wild village dogs (such as those on the African island of Pemba, where Coppinger did his research), but much more often dogs that are seen in cities are former pets. Attitudes about dogs vary wildly, from country to country, among different social classes, and even among individuals of the same culture and class. Dogs have long been used to guard livestock (ironically, against wolves), assist in hunting, for entertainment (racing or fighting other animals), and for pest control. In the Victorian era, it became the vogue among the rich (and subsequently, among the middle class, always eager to emulate their betters) to keep dogs as pampered child substitutes.
Now the most common purpose of domestic dogs, at least among urban people, is companionship. Alas, in many places, dogs are thought to be disposable companions, and veterinary care is considered to be an extravagance. Inconvenient pets are turned out into the streets, and street dogs breed with indiscriminate fervor. Some people consider leashing a dog to be cruel or degrading, allowing pets to wander and mix with strays and feral animals. In some places, street dogs are a public health risk, forming aggressive packs and acting as vectors for rabies. My own experience with urban street dogs has involved sad sickly loners, surviving on handouts and scavenging.
These dogs exist in a way similar to pigeons. They're always on the lookout for food, and they are attuned to the behavioral clues of human kindness. Dogs have the advantage over pigeons of being social mammals with a rich array of gestures (puppy-dog eyes, anyone?) and behaviors that they use to interact with humans. Adorable dogs are fed, mean dogs are taken out and shot. Arguably the greatest contributor to the success of dogs is their ability to socially interact and communicate with humans.
The city I've been to with the most street dogs is Santiago Chile. I have quite a few pictures from there, and I don't mean to misrepresent the city. Santiago has one of the highest standards of living in South America, and is a beautiful and vibrant place. I also saw many street dogs in Costa Rica (which has the highest standard of living in Central America), but I didn't have a digital camera when I visited there, so I don't have those pictures handy.
There are many cities with urban dogs--remember recently in Athens dogs were rounded up and destroyed prior to the Olympics--and while it doesn't speak well of humans that we allow this to happen to dogs, I don't mean to put down any particular place. It's a human problem not a problem confined to any geographic region.
This dog slept at the top of St. Lucia park in Santiago, and dozens of tourists milled around, and tried not to step on him as they got pictures of the view.
This dog was sleeping peacefully in the park until someone knelt down to take a picture of it.
This dog busied itself with the contents of a discarded plastic bag.
Along the edges of the walled-in river that flows through the city, many dogs roam, pausing to bark at the tourists up on the footbridge.
This brokeleg dog plied the sypathies of people waiting on the train platform.
In the Easter Island village of Hanga Roa, a few dogs mill about--checking the waterfront for discarded fish, and trying to see if the tourists will toss them a treat. On a small island, the trait of aggression toward humans would be quickly weeded out of the gene pool.
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Good job shoving so much information in there.
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There are so many who have short, sad lives.
How can any of us even make a dent in the number?
And yet, here we are. I feel so small.
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(did you see that edward albee wrote an article about rapa nui for the times travel section yesterday?)
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some of the friendliest dogs i ever met were apparently homeless creatures roaming the beaches of eilat (israel) at night. they didn't want food; they just wanted to cuddle up to you, get scritches, be your pillow, &c.
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Funny thing was it was in Denver that I was trapped by my vehicle (a school bus) surrounded by stray dogs. A teacher's aide came to my rescue and others joined in helping out. That was a very scary experience.
I don't blame the dogs, I blame the owners. For whatever reasons they have (ignorance of "cultural") these dogs roam the streets and can be dangerous. I think that if we step up the fines for animal abuse (and I feel it is abuse) perhaps people who can't take care of their pets properly will quit taking them in. I like dogs and when I see people mistreating or neglecting them it really bothers me.
BTW, this was one of your best entries!
Similar Situation in Valparaiso
I came across your blog recently and must say that I too am overwhelmed by the dog overpopulation program. I have written a lot about it in my blog here also. I spent some time in Santiago, and recently moved to Valparaiso where I´ll be studying here at the university for six months. Every day I see countless street dogs. Many are sick and diseased..I have seen dogs covered in mange, starving, others with their hair falling out. It is just an awful situation here. I have also driven to the countryside where I have seen many dead dogs on the side of the road. My host brother tells me that it is common for the dogs to be rounded up and killed here also, like you said they did in Athens. He says the government won´t admit to comissioning people to do this, but that it is a common practice--especially when someone famous comes to Chile. I really want to help these animals, but I don´t really know where to begin. Good veterinary care is scarce here, and I have looked around for some organizations that help animals and I´m not really finding anything. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Devon
PS: It is nice to know there is someone else out there who is as upset about this at me. It seems many Chileans are just used to things being this way with the dogs, have become desensitized to the problem, and don´t want to help. I was beginning to think I was alone in my feelings!
Re: Similar Situation in Valparaiso
I must disagree with you. As a cat owner, I have access to wonderful (24/7) veterinary care, and no I'm not even rich nor live in a privileged part of town.
As for rounding up and killing stray animals, I don't think that the Government denies it. It's nothing to be ashamed of; only a logical think to do. What else are you gonna do? Hell I'd do the same with humans any day. There are simply too many of them. Of course the best solution is to castrate the would-be parents, but killing is simpler / cheaper.
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(Or, at least, in the post that I got the link to this one from, you also mentioned cats, but there was no link associated with the word.)
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dogs
(Anonymous) 2006-09-05 08:42 pm (UTC)(link)best, Lorraine
www.OnaMissionfromDog.com
the dogs...
(Anonymous) 2006-11-18 12:10 pm (UTC)(link)Complete indifference. When the country tried to euthanize, the people stood up and said no as a nation. I don't understand how you can be that adamant to KEEP your sad pups in the street foraging for scraps and getting hit by cars and dying of diseases and spreading worms from indiscriminant feces deposited where children play, but you won't let the gov't round 'em up and humanely kill by lethal injections the ones you didn't bother to neuter, spay, abandon humanely, or at the very least "destroy" at a veterinarian. I don't know which is crueler! The incredibly overboard way of handling the problem, or the complete lack of sensitivity to the horrible LIVES these dogs have. Dogs were selectively bred, just as you pointed out in your post. I feel that makes us responsible for their welfare and well being.
I got down like you did. I've been taking pics. Concepcion may have had more than Santiago, I couldn't go anywhere without seeing 2 or three in tghe sun, or at a church. or at the mouth of the Minas De Lota. I noticed one weird thing: these dogs have great teeth. How is that possible?
I also wanted to point out this one thing: the dogs in Chile and Peru are like the street children in Brazil: many and sick and free and unloved.
They ARE like pigeons, hoping for a crust.
It killed me every time someone would say "just look at the view" and all I could see was a starving stray mama dog or an impoverised child with puppy dog eyes. Yes, the water is beautiful, the mountains are wonderful, the fruit looks delicious. Why don't you notice this kid? This dog? How are they beneath your notice?
You didn't paint a picture of ONE city, you captured them all.
When I come back to the US, I hope I remember this trip forever and become aware of similar attitudes in my own country. I know the attitudes have colored how I feel about the warmth of the people here; how can they smile in this suffering? At the same time, the US must STOP condemning the way other countries treat their own until we clean up our similar messes. I know people in the US have the same, but it's much more hidden.
Thanks for posting!!
wingnutamy @ gmail
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