Are Dogs Still Man’s Best Friend?

FEATURE Are Dogs Still Man’s Best Friend?

The pros and cons of dog ownership

BY MOHAMMAD ABDULLAH

President Biden pets the family dog Champ in the Oval Office (Official White House photo by Adam Schultz; Feb. 24, 2021)

Dogs are never off the media circuit. And with the departure of “no-dogs” Trump, dogs continue to make news in the Biden White House, even viciously – one of them, after biting a staffer, had to be sent back to their Delaware home for training.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (https://www.aspca. org) said, on May 23, that 23 million American households acquired a pet — usually a dog — during the Covid-19 pandemic’s enforced isolation and that most of them will not consider rehoming their pet in the near future.

This rush to seek companionship, however, has not gone well for all. Fortune reported on July 26, “Shelters in New York and Los Angeles are nearing capacity as more and more people who got pets during the pandemic are dumping them as the world inches back to normal” (https://dearpandemic.org/update-on-pandemic-pets/). It added that “intakes at the Humane Society of Dallas County are twice as high as they were before the pandemic.”

Not all shelters have the resources to bar euthanizing unwanted pets. On July 8, Reuters cited Chloe Esperiquette of the Los Angeles’ Wags and Walks adoption center, who noted that “Every year in the United States, 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized, including 670,000 dogs” (https:// www.mercurynews.com/2021/07/08/dogsfill-shelters-as-pandemic-lockdowns-ease/).

“If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog” has become a popular saying. It’s believed that dogs were the first animal to be domesticated and became “man’s best friend” many centuries ago. Announcing the death of his dog Bo, former President Obama described him as a “true friend and loyal companion.” But in addition to being “man’s best friend,” dogs are also big business. PetKeenit estimates that $109.6 billion will be spent on pets in the U.S. during 2021 (https://petkeen.com/ pet-food-industry-stats/).

Muslims often ask if they can own dogs. The Shafi‘i and Hanbali schools contend that as a dog’s nasal area is often wet, it is considered najis (impure) and that you must perform ablution before praying if it touches you or your clothes. The Maliki school, however, considers a dog’s nasal area to be pure thus it’s no big deal if it touches you.

In a 2016 advisory, Dubai’s Grand Mufti Dr. Ahmed Al Haddad told the Khaleej Times that keeping a dog at home is not advisable, as affirmed by Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam); however, “If a dog is needed for guarding, herding, or hunting, it must be kept in a proper place and as per need.” The Qur’an mentions dogs in 5:4, 18:18 and 18:22.

DOGS’ IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT The book “One Nation Under Dog: America’s Love Affair with Our Dogs” (2010) claims that 83% of American pet owners referred to themselves as their animal’s “mommy” or “daddy.”Around the world too, most people regard their dogs as part of the family and do everything possible to keep them healthy and comfortable. Some even provide them with endless services, such as taking them to members-only dog runs and dog swim therapists, dressing them up in various outfits and fighting over pet custody when getting divorced.

Dog love keeps getting more expensive. Although dogs will eat anything offered to them, three years ago Petco signed a deal with JustFoodForDogs™, a Southern California purveyor of handcrafted meals with human-quality ingredients.

Many owners feel that no one understands them better than their dogs. But some reports paint a different picture. For example, a commentary in The San Diego Union-Tribune(July 11, 2018)stated, “Let’s be honest, America: Dogs are parasites, not

man’s best friend.” The Daily Beast (https:// www.thedailybeast.com) ran an article entitled “Dogs Weren’t Always Man’s Best Friend” on June 25, 2017, arguing that “canine behavior is contextual. As long as they have food, dogs are devoted companions — deprive them of it for long enough and we start to look good enough to eat.”

ALL DOGS HAVE THEIR PLACE Science 101 argues that not all breeds are meant to be pets (https://www.science101. com/dog-breeds-werent-meant-forhome/). In fact, some countries regulate and proscribe aggressive breeds. Notably, most dogs involved in attacks are family dogs caretaker (the “alpha wolf”) (http://www. psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/happinessis-state-mind/201711/how-mans-bestfriend-is-more-just-companion).

The American Pet Products Association 2017-18 National Pet Owners Survey says there are 89.7 million dogs in the U.S., and the global dog population is estimated to be 900 million and rising (http://www.statista. com/statistics/198100/dogs-in-the-unitedstates-since-2000/). With the rising pet population, the pet industry has become one of the world’s largest, and most of its $95 billion value comes from pet food (http:// spots.com/pet-ownership-statistics/).

Not long ago, the major concern about important jobs. For example, they can help farmers herd cattle or sheep, sniff out meat products at airports and illegal substances, chase down and hold criminals, locate victims of disasters, help the visually impaired and deaf people and PTSD sufferers, visit patients in hospitals and the elderly in the nursing homes and provide companionship for those who have been diagnosed with mental and physical ailments (7 Types of Working Dogs and the Jobs They Do, The Spruce Pets, March 9, 2021). Recent studies show that dogs can identify Covid patients in much the same way they sniff out bombs, drugs or other diseases, using body odor samples on masks, socks, and shirts (Bloomberg News, May 23, 2021).

ROBERT AND BRENDA VALE’S “TIME TO EAT THE DOG?: THE REAL GUIDE TO SUSTAINABLE LIVING” (2009) ARGUES THAT DOGS MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE EXAMINATION OF OUR LIFESTYLE’S ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. FOR EXAMPLE, 2.07 ACRES (0.84 HECTARES) OF LAND ARE NEEDED TO FEED A MEDIUM-SIZED DOG. IN CONTRAST, IN 2004, THE AVERAGE VIETNAMESE REQUIRED 0.76 HECTARES AND AN ETHIOPIAN 0.67 HECTARES.

(https://caninejournal.com/dog-bite-statistics/). Some argue that owners are the problem, for they failed to train their dogs properly or raised their dogs to fight, and that leash and other dog-related laws are ineffective.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says that dogs bite about 4.7 million Americans every year. Worldwide, about 60,000 people die from rabies caused by dog bites (https://allpetslife.com/dog-bite-statistics/). A bite by any large size dog can result in serious injury and even death. The bite force of an average dog ranges around 230-250 psi, enough to rip apart a small child’s body (https://www.topdogtips.com/ dogs-strongest-bite-force/).

Dogs generally bite as a reaction to a stressful situation, for all dog breeds come from a common ancestor: wolves. As pack animals, wolves are fiercely loyal to the pack and submissive to the alpha wolf. In the case of domesticated dogs, this innate characteristic results in loyalty to their human families (the “pack”) and obedience to their primary dogs was their aggression. Robert and Brenda Vale’s “Time to Eat the Dog?: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living” (2009) argues that dogs must be included in the examination of our lifestyle’s environmental impact. For example, 2.07 acres (0.84 hectares) of land are needed to feed a medium-sized dog. In contrast, in 2004 the average Vietnamese required 0.76 hectares and an Ethiopian 0.67 hectares (Britain’s Problem with Pets: They’re Bad for the Planet, The Guardian, Nov. 13, 2009). The book’s solution represents a microcosm of a larger conversation: dog overpopulation. According to ASPCA, about 670,000 abandoned dogs are euthanized each year.

Dogs, which can pick up smells 10,000 times better than humans, can smell diseases, predict an oncoming seizure and the weather, warn you about migraines, feel the presence of things that we can’t see or hear and sense many human emotions (Unbelievable Things Dogs Can Detect That Humans Can’t, 12UP, June 10, 2021).

Consequently, they perform many INTERESTED IN OWNING A DOG? Owning a dog is a long-time commitment, as they can live for up to 16 years depending on the breed. Selective breeding and genetic variance mean that they come in all shapes and sizes and personalities: aggressive, serious, playful and “gentle giants.” Doing research before acquiring a dog will bring you better results.

All dogs need a lot of care and affection — sometimes perhaps more time than a young family can afford to give them. This includes spending time getting to know each other, improving mutual communication, training them to behave properly, ensuring that they stay within the yard, walking them, getting them used to a leash and cleaning up after them in public places. This latter duty is important, for dog poop is an environmental pollutant and may carry fecal coliform bacteria, hookworms, roundworms, and tapeworms. Moreover, the eggs of certain parasites can linger in the soil for years.

When adding a dog to your family, make sure that it comes from an animal shelter and get it spayed or neutered. Some veterinary hospitals provide this service at a reduced fee when dogs are adopted from an animal shelter. Benjamin L. Hart and et. al. (https:// doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.00388) state that for some dog breeds, neutering may be associated with an increased risk of debilitating joint disorders and some cancers. To help pet owners and veterinarians make such decisions, guidelines that avoid increasing such risks are laid out for neutering ages on a breed-by-breed and sex basis. ih