Category: animal welfare

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No Kill here to stay? by Ed Boks

Ed Boks and Reigning Cats and Dogs
Ed Boks and Board President Gloria Hershman present the prestigious YHS Founder’s Award to Kathy Coleman, John Tarro and Max Fogleman.

What a celebration! I’m talking about the Yavapai HumaneSociety’s annual Reigning Cats & Dogs Gala this past Saturday. This year we celebrated YHS’s 41st anniversary and the role the organization has played in transforming  Yavapai County into the safest, pet-friendliest community in the nation!

As we celebrated the many successes of the past four decades, a big question concerning YHS’ future was put before the over 350 Gala celebrants. That question was this: Is no-kill here to stay? Was the success of the past three years an anomaly or a beachhead?

The resounding response of the gala guests was “Yes, no-kill is here to stay” – and their commitment to the “no-kill” ethic was demonstrated by a record yield in donations dedicated to funding the Yavapai Humane Society’s many life-saving programs.

At this year’s event, YHS Board President Gloria Hershman presented the prestigious Yavapai Humane Society Founder’s Awards to former board members John Tarro, Kathy Coleman and Max Fogleman. This dynamic trio helped guide YHS through some of its most difficult years while laying the foundation for YHS’s most recent successes.

One of the livelier auction items was for naming rights for the new YHS Cat Care Center. The opening bid was $10,000 and, after a fun and exciting bidding war with Hooligan’s proprietors Pat and Nancy O’Brien, Don and Shirl Pence emerged the winners with a $32,000 bid.

In addition to winning the naming rights for the new Pence Cat Care Center, Don and Shirl served their traditional role as this year’s Founders of the Feast by underwriting another year’s gala. Without their generous support, and the support of so many others, YHS could never accomplish all that it does.

The Pences were recognized along with Lou Silverstein and Peggy Stidworthy in the first-ever Founder’s Award Presentation at last year’s gala. The vision, leadership and generosity of all our founders laid a sure foundation for YHS and we are profoundly grateful to them all.

Would you like to help make sure “no-kill” is here to stay? Please consider joining these visionaries in their support of the “no-kill ethic” through the YHS PAWS program. Together we can continue to make our community the safest in the nation for pets.

You can do this by donating just $10 a month to ending the killing of adoptable pets. What a difference that would make! With that kind of steady support, YHS could reliably continue to save animals’ lives, fight cruelty, and rescue and protect lost, homeless, sick, abused and neglected animals in our community.

And it’s easy to participate in the YHS PAWS (Planned Automatic Withdrawal Service) program. You’ll be joining a growing number of people who are making our entire community a true humane society. By joining PAWS you simply choose the amount that feels comfortable to you; and you can change or cancel your participation any time.

A monthly contribution of just $10 (or more) helps feed hungry homeless animals, provide life-saving medicine to ailing animals, and vaccinate and spay/neuter needy pets to help reduce pet disease and overpopulation. Where else can so little do so much?

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Spay/neuter donations reduce animal homelessness by Ed Boks

Ed Boks and the Big Fix
The YHS Spay/Neuter Clinic staff are ready to serve you and your pets!

The Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) Spay/Neuter & Wellness Clinic in Prescott, will celebrate its fourth anniversary on Sept. 17 – and this facility has given our entire community tremendous cause to celebrate.

During the decades before opening this clinic, our community rounded up nearly 6,000 lost and homeless animals annually – and then struggled to “re-home” them. We were often forced to euthanize nearly half just to make space for the constant flow of incoming animals.

In less than three years, the number of lost and homeless animals rescued annually in our community declined 45 percent (from 5,887 to 3,254), and the number of animals euthanized each year plummeted 92 percent, from 1,602 to 133.

The importance of the YHS Spay/Neuter Clinic may be better understood by drawing on the following analogy. Imagine a large broken water pipe flooding your basement. It would be silly to run down into the basement to start mopping up the mess without first turning off the water. However, that was precisely what our community did for decades prior to September 2009.

From the day the YHS Spay/Neuter Clinic opened its doors, it has been turning the water off and helping establish our community among the safest in the nation for pets.

The quality care provided by the YHS Spay/Neuter Clinic is second to none and was nationally recognized with the prestigious Humane Alliance Certification in February.

In celebration of its fourth anniversary, the YHS Spay/Neuter Clinic is making a commitment through its Big Fix program to deny no pet spay/neuter services just because the pet’s guardian can’t afford it.

The YHS Big Fix program provides free and low-cost spay/neuter services to pets belonging to owners who meet certain income criteria. In addition, pets belonging to active-duty military and all military veterans pre-qualify for free spay/neuter services.

This is an enormous commitment, and YHS will need your help to keep it. The good news is we are not alone. Petsmart Charities recently committed to help YHS by granting YHS enough funds to offset the cost of 1,200 spay/neuter surgeries. The grant is restricted to dogs residing in Prescott Valley, Dewey/Humboldt and Mayer, and dog owners must meet certain income eligibility criteria. Call the YHS Spay/Neuter & Wellness Clinic to see if you qualify.

If this program proves successful, Petsmart Charities may include cats in future grants.

What about all the pets residing in the many other regions of our community, including the City of Prescott? To meet this need, YHS is partnering with another foundation that wishes to remain anonymous. This foundation is challenging our community to match a $15,000 gift to the YHS Big Fix spay/neuter program.

This challenge gift means your tax-deductible donation will be twice as effective in helping YHS turn the supply of unwanted pets off once and for all. If we can meet this challenge, YHS will have $30,000 to help our community’s most at-risk pets’ access this life-saving service.

YHS envisions the day when every pet born has a good home and is well cared for all its life.

When you make a donation of any size to the YHS Big Fix program during this challenge, you can double your impact in making this future vision our reality today.

Big Fix donations can be made online or by mail.

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It takes a village to sustain No-Kill by Ed Boks

Ed Boks and no killIn July 2010, the Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) implemented a “no-kill” ethic. YHS applies this “ethic” by using the same criteria for deciding a homeless animal’s fate that a loving pet owner or conscientious veterinarian would apply. That is, healthy and treatable animals are not killed simply because we lack the room or resources to care for them.

The “no-kill” ethic embodies our commitment that for every animal who comes through YHS’ doors there is a kind and loving person or family – and it is our mission to bring them together.

Each July, I report on our progress towards achieving “no-kill.” There are three statistics animal shelters use to measure their success, or failure, in reducing pet euthanasia (or killing). These numbers help tell the whole story:

The Live Release Rate (LRR) refers to the number of animals who get out of a shelter alive. It includes adoptions, transfers to rescue organizations, and lost pets returned to owners. Some shelter experts claim a 90 percent LRR is the threshold to “no-kill.” Since July 2010, YHS has maintained a 91 percent LRR (and a 95 percent LLR in 2012 and a 97 percent LLR in 2013 YTD).

The Euthanasia Rate reports the actual number of animals euthanized. In the first year implementing the no-kill ethic, YHS achieved a 63 percent reduction in killing, followed by a 64 percent reduction in year two, and a 40 percent reduction in year three; for an overall reduction of 92 percent over the past three years. This translates into four additional lives saved every day of the year.

The Per Capita Kill Rate refers to the number of animals killed per 1,000 residents. Prior to implementing the no-kill ethic, YHS was killing 17.25 animals per 1,000 residents; one of the worst kill rates in the state. However, in the 12 months ending June 30, the YHS kill rate was 0.8; the lowest in the nation! This rate is calculated by using the 2010 U.S. Census population estimate for central and western Yavapai County of 154,482 (131 animals killed / 154 = 0.8).

There are many ways everyone can help maintain our status as the safest community in the United States.

1. Spay/neuter your pets: Pets should be spay/neutered before sexual maturity. Call the YHS Spay/Neuter Clinic (771-0547) to make an appointment today!

2. Microchip your pets: YHS has one of the highest “Return to Owner” rates in the nation (50 percent). When your pet comes to YHS with an up-to-date microchip, he has a guaranteed ticket home. For a limited time, microchips can be purchased for just $15 at the YHS Spay/Neuter & Wellness Clinic any Friday without an appointment (2989 Centerpointe East, Prescott). For an additional $9.95, you can register your pet for life!

3. Support YHS by becoming a PAWS (Planned Automatic Withdrawal Service) donor.   By joining PAWS, an automatic monthly donation of your choice comes to YHS without the hassle of sending in a check. Each month our secure system automatically processes your donation. You choose an amount that feels comfortable and you can change or cancel your participation at any time.

4. Include YHS in your planned giving: Attend a free YHS Planned Giving Seminar on Aug. 1 at the Prescott Lakes Country Club at 7:30 a.m. A complimentary deluxe breakfast will be provided. The seminar is entitled “Reduce Taxes and Save Lives: Tax Reduction and Planned Giving Strategies.

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The most dangerous week of the year for pets By Ed Boks

Ed Boks and dogs and pets and fireworksThe next 10 days is the most fun and raucous time in most communities.  The festivities culminate around the 4th of July with outdoor celebrations, picnics, barbecues, and of course, fireworks. Before you pack up to the lake or the outdoor arena, stadium or even your own front yard to enjoy the pyrotechnic delights of the holiday, be aware of your pets’ needs and fears.

Animal shelters across the nation experiences a significant increase in the number of lost (and injured) pets brought into their facilities after every July 4 holiday.

Even pets who are normally calm and obedient can show unpredictable behavior when frightened. Dogs and cats can become frightened or confused by the excitement and loud noises of the holiday. I have rescued terrified pets who have chewed through their tethers, jumped through plate glass windows or over fences, and escaped “secure” enclosures.

Dogs attempting to flee the frightening, and even painful noises of the fireworks may lose their sense of direction and run long distances risking injury or death as they dart in and out of traffic. This is one of the most dangerous times of year for your pets.

Up close, fireworks can burn or injure your pets, but even if they are far away, they still pose a unique danger to your companion animals.

To minimize the danger to your pets take these few simple steps before you set out to celebrate this Fourth of July:

• Keep pets indoors in an enclosed area that they are familiar with to minimize fear. If possible, turn on a radio to mask the noise of the fireworks or other celebratory noises.

• If your pet is excitable, consult with your veterinarian ahead of time to arrange administration of a proper calming drug.

• If you have to be away for an extended time, board your pets with family or friends you trust and can assure you that the pet will be kept confined and cared for.

• Always be sure your pet has a current microchip. A microchip is the best identification for a pet because it is always with him and it makes it easier for YHS to find you should the unthinkable happens and your pet manages to escape.

• Even if you think your pet is ok with fireworks and noise, do not let him out when fireworks are being lit and set off. The pet may run at them and sustain serious burns, or bolt and run.

If your pet happens to escape during the holiday festivities, be diligent in visiting your local shelters every day, and posting “Lost Dog” or “Lost Cat” signs and canvassing surrounding neighborhoods. Place a yard sign in front of your house with a picture of your pet and your phone number. People who find lost pets will often walk or drive around the area attempting to find the owner.

Remember, fright can drive an animal to new and unfamiliar grounds, many miles from your home. So exhaust all avenues. This 4th of July holiday can be the best ever if you take these precautions to keep your pets safe and happy while you enjoy the festivities without having to worry about the family pet.

Life-saving microchips can be purchased at most shelters.  Please protect your pets this 4th of July.

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10 Health reasons why pets are great for seniors By Ed Boks

Ed Boks and cat
Samantha is a sweet, and still very agile, 10-year-old Calico. Sam is looking for a loving home where she can display her adoring yet independent and therapeutic tendencies.

The Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) has a plethora of lovable senior (5 years and older) cats available for adoption. These sweet animals have many good years of love left – making them ideal pets. All adoption fees for all YHS cats and kittens have been waived for the month of June. That’s a real deal because YHS cats are spayed or neutered, vaccinated and micro-chipped – that is over a $400 value to you – for whatever you are willing to donate.

If you are a senior citizen you might be especially interested in knowing that according to the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society there are many health benefits for seniors who have a pet or two. In fact, the Journal states the benefits extend to the seniors, the pets and society as a whole. Geriatric researchers found seniors with pets are more active than seniors without pets and they score higher in their ability to carry out normal activities of daily living. Many positive effects on physical well-being are identified, including a healthy ability to fend off isolation and loneliness.

The Journal report says that pet ownership has a statistically significant effect on the physical health of older people. Further, the caretaking role involved in pet ownership may provide older people a sense of purpose and responsibility and encourages them to be less apathetic and more active in day-to-day activities. In fact, researchers found that elderly people who lacked strong social support (family and friends) remained relatively emotionally healthy during life crises compared with non-pet-owners placed in similar situations. The evidence demonstrates that pets provide real health benefits to the elderly.

10 Health reasons why pets are great for seniors

1. Pets Lower Blood Pressure: A study of health patients showed that people over 40 who own pets had lower blood pressure than people who did not have pets. Another study showed that talking to pets decreases blood pressure.

2. Fewer Trips to the Doctor: Seniors who own pets go to the doctor less than those who do not. In a study of 1,000 Medicare patients, even the most highly stressed pet owner in the study had 21 percent fewer physician’s contacts than non-pet owners.

3. Less Depression: Studies show that seniors with pets do not become depressed as often as those without pets.

4. Easier to Make Friends: Seniors with pets meet more people and like to talk about their pets.

5. Seniors Become More Active: Seniors with pets are generally more active than those without pets.

6. Pets are Friends: Most everyone, but especially seniors, will say that pets are their friends.

7. Pets Ease Loss: Older people who suffer the loss of a spouse and own a pet are less likely to experience deterioration in health following that stressful event.

8. Pets Fight Loneliness: You are less likely to be lonely with a feline friend around.

9. Taking Better Care of Themselves: Seniors take good care of their pets and better care of themselves when they own a pet.

10. Sense of Security: Pets help seniors to feel that someone they trust is always around.

If you are a senior citizen and want to take advantage of all these health benefits please consider adopting one or two of our senior cats today. All cat (and kitten) adoption fees are waived for everyone during the month of June; and for senior citizens (59 and older) adoption fees are waived all the time for both cats and dogs over 5 years of age.

Health benefits are not restricted to seniors only but apply to all people of all ages. Adopt a pet today!

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YHS to be featured in national magazine By Ed Boks

Ed Boks and enrichment
Amber is an intelligent and athletic 2-year-old chocolate Labrador/pit bull mix who loves to agility. She would be an ideal companion for an active individual.

Animal Sheltering magazine is considered the gold standard for reliable information for people who care about the animals in their community – from humane society directors and city animal control managers to kennel staff, volunteers, and private individuals working as activists, breed rescuers, wildlife rehabbers, veterinarians, and more.

One of the purposes of Animal Sheltering magazine is to feature innovative animal shelters that are new, renovated, updated, or expanded, focusing specifically on aspects of the design and engineering that makes life better for the animals – as well as more pleasant for staff, volunteers, and visitors.

James Baker, a reporter with Animal Sheltering, is responsible for a feature called The Build-Out in each publication. Having heard about many YHS shelter enhancements over the past several years, he contacted us saying YHS “sounds like the perfect story for The Build-Out feature in Sept/Aug issue.”

While YHS appreciates the national attention we receive for our innovative, life-saving programs, we are especially grateful to our local community for your support in making these improvements possible. Here is just a small list of accomplishments made possible by YHS supporters that may be featured in the upcoming Animal Sheltering magazine:

• The YHS Pet Adoption Center is now climate-controlled, thanks to a newly installed central HVAC system.

• All YHS animals have their own beds, private kennels or cages (cats have condos), piped-in music, and daily enrichment exercises.

• An outdoor Enrichment Kennel facility that helps housetrain dogs and provides training and holding space for animals.

• Commercial laundry equipment ensures YHS is able to provide the cleanest blankets and towels to our animals every day.

• Solar power helped reduce utility costs by 50 percent, providing more money for direct animal needs.

• A new digital X-ray machine allows YHS Medical Team to diagnose and rehabilitate greater numbers of sick and injured animals.

• Water-retention barrels are being installed to help beautify YHS landscaping.

• The YHS Cat Facility to care for sick and injured homeless cats, and momma cats and their kittens.

All of these amenities are the result of gifts, donations and grants that demonstrate our community’s unflappable commitment to making YHS the best it can be; a truly happy place for man and beast.

One of the premier amenities at YHS is the Buffy Pence Dog Park; named in memory of the beloved pet of Don and Shirl Pence – the benefactors who made the YHS dog park a reality. The park was recently reconfigured and enlarged with a net result that YHS now has two large dog parks where there used to be just one.

The fabulous YHS volunteer dog walkers use the dog park to ensure all our dogs have ample exercise and enrichment activities every day. The park provides a great place for dogs wanting to play fetch, catch Frisbees or just run around exploring. The park also serves as a friendly space where potential adopters get acquainted with prospective pets before actually adopting. The YHS dog behaviorists also use this space for training dogs and teaching dog walkers to do likewise.

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Sustaining the no-kill vision By Ed Boks

In July 2010, the Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) embraced a no-kill ethic. We defined that ethic as applying the same criteria when deciding a homeless animal’s fate that a loving owner or conscientious veterinarian would apply to a beloved pet. That is, healthy and treatable animals would not be killed simply because we lack the room or resources to care for them.

With a 95 percent live release rate in 2012 and a 97 percent live release rate YTD for 2013, it could be argued that YHS has achieved its no-kill goal. The challenge now is sustaining it. Google dictionary defines “sustaining” as strengthening or supporting.

It is important to understand the life affirming momentum occurring at YHS. In nearly every community in every state in the Union, killing is the primary method employed to control pet overpopulation. In just three short years our community has become a national model for a better way, a way of compassion through strategic planning.

While it requires a lot of work to sustain a compassionate, no-kill community, we have our share of fun too.  Take for instance our recent Walk for the Animals.  It is remarkable how our community came together, for one of the most fun family events of the year, and raised over $41,000 to help sustain our many life saving no-kill programs.

This week we moved into a newly completed facility dedicated to sustaining quality medical care for our community’s sick and injured homeless cats. The facility was made possible thanks to the generosity of our community.

Also, this week, we are installing a climate controlled HVAC system throughout our Pet Adoption Center. This amazing enhancement was also made possible thanks to the compassionate generosity of our community.

Next on the drawing board is a canine hospital to care for our community’s lost and homeless sick and injured dogs. We are in the design phase and should have a budget for this project within 30 days. It is my hope that there is the same public support for our canine friends as there is for our felines, so we have no delay in building this much-needed facility. Naming rights are available to anyone willing to fund a substantial portion of the construction cost.

These new facilities are designed to help ensure our community never returns to the barbaric practice of killing homeless animals simply because we lack the room or resources to care for them. Achieving no-kill is not an Olympic moment; it is an arduous marathon. We’ve proven it can be achieved, the question now is can it be sustained?

Imagine if everyone reading this article donated $1 a day or $30 a month.  We could then sustain our many no-kill programs – each designed to save animals’ lives, fight cruelty and rescue homeless animals.  Choose a tax deductible amount that is comfortable, and you can change or cancel your participation at any time.

If you have questions about achieving and sustaining no-kill contact me today.  It can be done in your community too!  Together we can achieve and sustain no-kill throughout our nation.

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society. He can be reached at ed@edboks.com or by calling 213-792-4800,

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TNR helps feral cats, provides safe rodent control By Ed Boks

Ed Boks and feral cats
Ask you local shelter about their Working Cat Program

In a perfect world, all cats would have a loving home.  Unfortunately, unaltered cats permitted to roam freely either become feral or produce feral offspring. Feral cats are wild and cannot be turned into house pets. When feral cats end up in shelters, they have little hope of coming out alive. Rather than kill feral cats, I promote reducing their population through a process called TNR (trap/neuter/return).

For feral cats who find their way into an animal shelter,  I propose a “working cat” program to help save their lives by putting them to work in our neighborhoods and ranches.

Through a Working Cat Program, feral cats are spayed and neutered and released into areas where they can do what they do best: prevent an overpopulation of rodents. Their reputation as stealthy and successful exterminators is well known and many homeowners and businesses rely on cats as a “green” rat abatement program.

Sadly, I was recently helped rescue two dogs exposed to rat poison; one we were able to save, the other succumbed despite our best efforts. One benefit of a Working Cat Program is that it keeps rodents in check without toxic pest control chemicals that are dangerous to pets, wildlife and children.

The program also helps improve public health.  Rodents carry many diseases including plague, leptospirosis, hantavirus, murine typhus, rat bite fever, salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium, and eosinophilic meningitis.

The beauty of working cats is that rodents flee the area when these cats make their presence known. These sleek legends of grace and beauty give off an odor through their paws as they prowl.  Once rodents get a whiff of feline, they vacate the premises.

Less grisly and more effective than glue traps, cats go about their “work” naturally. They prowl, they eat and they sit in the sun; although they prefer to spend much of their time hiding.

Working cats are spayed or neutered so they don’t contribute to the feral cat population. They are vaccinated so they help mitigate cat diseases in our community. They are microchipped so they can be returned to their owner should they end up in a shelter, and they are ear-tipped (under anesthesia while the cats are being altered; veterinarians notch an ear, which is the widely recognized sign that a feral cat is altered).

When Working Cats are “employed,” they are transported in large wire cages where they are housed for about a month at their new location. This process is called recolonizing. It takes about 30 days for a barn cat to be comfortable enough to consider their new environs home.  Local animal shelters should be able to help you colonize your working cat and teach you how to care for them.

Working cats can be put in any safe area – businesses, hotels, industrial parks, residences, and barns.  If you are interested in participating in this cost-effective, humane rat abatement program, call your local shelter to be added to their Working Cat list. Y ou will be contacted when your cat is ready for you.

If you don’t have a rodent problem but love cats and would like to help fund this non-lethal, humane program, please make a donation to your local shelter and specify “Working Cat program.”

For more information on feral cats visit Developing an Effective Strategy for the Permanent Reduction of Feral Cat Populations.

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Tools to accommodate killing discarded By Ed Boks

Ed Boks and no kill
Horrific incinerator
removed from YHS
campus after no-kill
achieved!

Behind the Yavapai Humane Society’s Pet Adoption Center  in Prescott was a large incinerator. Abandoned for several years, the incinerator had become emblematic of a bygone era when homeless pets in our community were euthanized and discarded like so much garbage. The removal of this nightmarish relic on Feb. 27 is symbolic of a new day for pets in Yavapai County.

According to data provided by Animal People, the leading independent newspaper providing investigative coverage of animal protection, central and western Yavapai County is now tied with New York City as the second-safest community in the nation for pets.

This ranking is determined by the number of shelter animals killed per 1,000 residents. In the 12 months ending in February, the YHS kill rate fell to an all-time low tied with NYC at 1.0.

Whidbey Island, WA is ranked the safest community at .8 pets killed per 1,000 humans.

In contrast, Mohave County weighs in at 33. The most dangerous community in the U.S. for shelter animals is Amarillo, Texas, at 54.5 pets killed for every 1,000 residents.

In 2009, the YHS kill rate was 10.5, but this rate started declining in July 2010 when the YHS Board of Directors and management team embraced a “no-kill” ethic. This ethic is defined as applying the same criteria to homeless animals that a compassionate veterinarian or loving pet owner would apply to a pet when deciding if or when that pet should be euthanized, meaning only irremediably suffering and dangerously aggressive animals would ever be euthanized.

Ed Boks and YHS cat hospital
YHS is building new cat hospital
consistent with no-kill ethic.

Today, YHS is a national model for having eliminated killing as a method of pet overpopulation control.  Reinforcing the symbolic gesture of dismantling the incinerator, YHS is also building an infirmary to care for homeless sick pets. The facility is scheduled to open in May and was made possible thanks to municipal and private funding.

This life-saving transformation in our community is the result of YHS supporters, volunteers and donors and could not have been achieved without them.  If you would like to achieve No Kill in your community, contact me today.

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New research reveals dogs’ intelligence, ability to understand humans By Ed Boks

Ed Boks and animal intelligenceAlthough many of us think our dog is clever enough to understand us, this confidence has never been tested by science – until now.

A new UK study found that dogs are more likely to steal food when they think you’re not looking, suggesting they understand our viewpoint.

Dr. Juliane Kaminski of the University of Portsmouth’s department of psychology found that when a human forbids a dog from taking food, the dog is four times more likely to disobey in a dark room than a lit room, signifying dogs may take into account what humans can or cannot see.

The results have scientists questioning whether dogs have a cognizant understanding of other species’ minds, an ability assumed limited only to humans.

The research published in the journal Animal Cognition and funded by the Max Planck Society involved a series of experiments. In each test, a dog was forbidden by a human from taking food. When the room was dark, the dogs took more food and took it more quickly than when the room was lit.

The tests were complex involving many variables to rule out the possibility that dogs were basing their decisions on simple associative rules, for example, that dark means food.

In total, 42 female and 42 male domestic dogs aged one year or older took part in the tests. They were chosen only if they were comfortable without their owners in the room, even in complete darkness, and if they were interested in food.

“The findings suggest that dogs are deciding that it’s safer to steal the food when the room is dark because they understand something of the human’s perspective,” Kaminski said.

She added that more research is needed to understand what is influencing the dogs’ behavior because it was thought that a dog’s understanding is limited to the “here and now.”

Another study on dog smarts conducted by Dr. Dominique Autier-Derian from the National Veterinary School in Lyon, France, found that dogs recognize their own species among other species on a computer screen. Dogs picked faces of other dogs, irrespective of breed, among human and other domestic and wild animal faces and even grouped them into categories.

Autier-Derian studied this phenomenon among domestic dogs, which have the largest morphological variety among all animal species, with more than 400 registered dog breeds.

The study explored whether this large morphological diversity presented a cognitive challenge to dogs trying to recognize their own species while confronted with other species using visual cues alone.

On a computer screen, the researcher showed nine pet dogs pictures of faces from various dog breeds and cross-breeds and, simultaneously, faces of other animal species, including human faces.

The results found dogs can form a visual category of dog faces and group pictures of very different dogs into a single category, despite the diversity in dog breeds. In fact, all nine dogs were able to group all the images of dogs within the same category.

Here is the news flash: The research concluded that dogs learned to recognize their own species despite the diversity of breeds to insure mating between different breeds is always possible.

This is hardly news to any animal shelter where on any given day many wonderful pure- and mixed-breed dogs are looking for that certain human face – yours – to take them home. This research also reminds us why we need to have our non-discriminating pets spayed or neutered.