our stories: PET RESCUIE
Rescue a Pet,
Then He Rescues You Back
BY KRISTINA REILLY
S
cientists have agonized over the “day of the dog” for
quite some time. It seems most of them can agree
that dogs come from wolves, and that they were the first
domesticated animal, but what they can’t determine is
when, where, or how it evolved. Scientists and research-
ers have gathered over a thousand ancient wolf and dog
bones from around the globe to help figure it all out.
It’s believed that an initial wolf population split into
East and West Eurasian groups and before going extinct,
split into two different dog populations between 14,000
and 6,400 years ago. The Western population would be
replaced over time by the East Asian dogs, and intro-
duced by humans approximately 6,400 years ago.
Greg Larson, director of the Wellcome Trust Palaeoge-
nomics & Bio-Archaeology Research Network at Oxford
University said, “Our ancient DNA evidence, combined
with the archaeological record of early dogs, suggests
that we need to reconsider the number of times dogs
were domesticated independently. Maybe the reason
there hasn’t yet been a consensus about where dogs were
domesticated is because everyone has been a little bit
right.”
One thing is for sure, however and wherever our furry
friends came from, their companionship, working ability,
loyalty, and commitment is a true gift to humankind and
it has only gotten better through time. Today in America,
about 48 percent of all families have pets.
Interesting Facts About Dogs:
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1. Your dog is likely to understand 250 words and
gestures.
2. Your dog’s whiskers help him navigate. Whiskers
pick up on even the slight change in air currents which
give the pup information about the size, speed and shape
of their surroundings.
3. Dogs only have sweat glands in their paws. They
are found between their paw pads. Ever notice your
dog putting his paw in his water bowl? It immediately
provides relief on a hot day. It is also why dogs rely on
panting as a means of cooling down.
4. The shape of a dog’s face suggests its longevity: A
long face means a longer life.
5. Dogs rely on their sense of smell. They have 300
million olfactory receptors, as opposed to humans with
six million.
6. A dog has a nose print where we have a thumb-
print.
7. All puppies are born deaf.
8. Dogs’ sleep style is historic: If you’ve ever seen
a dog curled up in a ball while sleeping, it stems from
living in the wild, when they had to protect their organs
from predators.
9. Dogs can smell your feelings: This is a primary
reason the police use K-9s and people have service dogs.
Your pup can pick up on subtle changes in your scent,
which can also explain how they can smell diseases.
10. Petting your dog and staring into his eyes is good
for you because it releases oxytocin, for both you and
your dog.
In the United States, we provide homes to some 89
million pets, which is up from 69 million in 2000. But
sadly, there are approximately 7.6 million companion
animals entering animal shelters nationwide, of which 2.7
million are euthanized.
Here in Parker County, we are fortunate to have the
team at Weatherford/Parker County Animal Shelter very
committed to their job. While we do have many options
for adoption, obtaining your pet from a shelter not only
saves lives, but it is an act of kindness, and shows great
community support.
If you have to have a pet but don’t have much cash
on hand, there are several times throughout the year
when the WPCAS has special adoption rates.
“We have adoption specials often, however, our