How fascinating! Bark in if you’ve seen this exhibit!
Thanks to SFGate.com for this article.
Exhibit Shows Love Affair With Pets
By RANDALL CHASE, Associated Press Writer
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Wilmington, Del. (AP)
Visitors to Winterthur sometimes experience a “Wow!” moment when touring the museum’s permanent and traveling collections, but the newest exhibit offers a bit of a twist.
“Bow-wow!” might be the more appropriate response to “Pets in America,” which traces Americans’ love affair with their animals from the 18th century to the present.
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Thanks to The Scotsman for this article.
Bobby leads pedigree chums on dog walk of fame
FAMOUSLY loyal hound Greyfriars Bobby was among the stars of the silver screen inducted in to the world’s first Dog Walk of Fame.
The dog, whose story was the basis for a notoriously syrupy Disney movie, was commemorated with a plaque and a bench in London’s Battersea Park.
Other canine stars included Gromit, of the Oscar-winning animated Wallace and Gromit films, the crime-busting collie Lassie, and Fang from the Harry Potter films.
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What do Alexander the Great and Sigmund Freud have in common? Both men’s lives were heavily affected by dogs. Check out this informative article from CNN.
Ten dogs that changed the world
By E. Bougerol
(LifeWire) — Fifty years ago this Saturday, Laika — a sweet-tempered stray plucked off the streets of Moscow — was thrust into the global spotlight when she became the first living creature sent into space.
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Well, at least Gipsy was FINALLY remembered.
Thanks to the ASPCA for this historical note! And look for their new book, Heritage of Care, when it comes out.
FURRY NYC HERO HONORED IN BROOKLYN…130 YEARS AFTER THE FACT!
When doing research for Heritage of Care, a history of the ASPCA that will be published later this year, the ASPCA’s Marion Lane made a curious discovery—a dog had been buried in the Wilmarth plot at Brooklyn’s historic Green-Wood Cemetery in 1879.
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Studio 360 barked in to invite us to join them in celebrating the anniversary of Sputnik. They will be covering the story of Laika, the dog who was sacrificed to the space race.
Maybe it’s just me but but the story of Laika always depresses me. I think about this poor girl who was pulled off the streets of Russia, learned to trust the untrustworthy humans and then propelled to her death alone in space. Is this something to celebrate? I think not. I feel more like its something to mourn and, as a human, to feel guilty for.
Laika had no choice in being the sacrifice. She didn’t raise her paw to volunteer. She just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Laika, can you forgive us selfish humans for sacrificing you to our vanity? If no one else will, I apologize for your betrayal.
This is from Studio 360:
Greetings from Studio 360, Public Radio International’s Peabody Award-winning, nationally syndicated weekly show about creativity, pop culture and the arts, hosted by Kurt Andersen.
We thought you might be interested in this week’s segment about Laika, the first dog in space. Here’s a quick description:
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Thanks to the Canadian Press for this article.
Inuit truth commission to investigate whether RCMP slaughtered sled dogs
An Inuit group is investigating for itself a long-standing accusation that RCMP officers slaughtered sled dogs in the 1950s and ’60s to force their owners to give up their traditional lifestyle.
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We should remember the sacrifice of all of our heroes.
Thanks to the LA Times for this article.
Veterans visit Riverside memorial to honor war dogs
Memorial gives veterans a place to pay tribute to dogs that served with them in war and even saved their lives. Most were left behind.
By Jonathan Abrams, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
September 3, 2007
The small group of veterans gathers at Riverside’s March Field Air Museum once a year, traveling from all corners of the country, to mourn forgotten heroes of battle.
They come to honor the dogs that saved lives by detecting booby traps and watching over military camps, dogs that became trusted friends in times of loneliness.
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This article from National Geographic is a few years old but still has some interesting information.
How Did Dogs Become Adept at Playing to Humans?
Brian Handwerk
for Ultimate Explorer
February 6, 2004
Dog lovers know that man’s best friend has an uncanny ability to understand and react to human actions. Clues to how dogs came to develop this ability lie somewhere in their evolutionary past, and learning the answer could shine light on our own development as humans.
Harvard Anthropologist Brian Hare’s journey into canine cognition began with a study of human development. “I was interested in how humans develop cognitive skills,’ he told National Geographic News.. “What is it that allows us read social cues and understand communicative gestures?”
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I know Memorial Day has passed but I just have to tell you about this excellent site! Vietnam War Dogs is a celebration of the valiant dogs who worked alongside their humans in the Vietnam War. It’s also a great reminder that we as a society seem to have forgotten them and their sacrifices on humans’ behalf.
If you’re looking for information on dogs in war or just want to see photos I don’t think you’ll see elsewhere, check out Vietnam War Dogs.
Here’s what the site says about its mission:
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My heart is with Claggett. The way we treated these canine heroes is scandalous and a black mark on all of us! If anyone knows of a petition we can all sign to support this memorial, please bark in!
The photo is of the New Jersey War Dog Memorial. For more information on this issue, check out the US War Dogs Association site.
Thanks to The Post Chronicle for this article.
Veterans Want Memorial To War Dogs
By Staff
May 28, 2007
Congress is considering legislation that would create a privately funded memorial to dogs that have served with the U.S. military.
Until a 2000 law allowed them to be adopted, many of the dogs that served with U.S. soldiers were euthanized by military veterinarians, The Denver Post reported.
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