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Horowitz, Alexandra. “Smelling Themselves: Dogs Investigate Their Own Odours Longer When Modified in an

‘Olfactory Mirror’ Test.” Behavioural Processes, vol. 143, Oct. 2017, pp. 17–24. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1016/ j.beproc.2017.08.001.

Author Alexandra Horowitz, professor of canine cognition, psychology, and creative nonfiction writing at Barnard College, Columbia University, published her research study “Smelling Themselves: Dogs Investigate Their Own Odours Longer When Modified in an ‘Olfactory Mirror’ Test” as a journal on Elsevier’s Behavioural Processes in 2017. Her goal was to study whether dogs have self awareness by placing a variety of canisters with different smells and testing their olfactory response times. In order to eliminate the possibility of external factors, the tested dogs were prevented from referring to their owner for advice, thus causing them to instead focus on their natural ability to smell. Using their strongest asset, olfactory signals, the dogs were either able to distinguish an odor as “themselves” or “not themselves” as well as familiar or unfamiliar. This recent study demonstrates that dogs are cognitively intelligent since they are able to successfully pass the olfactory mirror test and exhibit self recognition. Overall, dogs are proven to have intelligence when the results from this study are connected to other research sources that examine a dog’s social and emotional intelligence.

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Silva, Karine, et al. “Auditory Contagious Yawning in Domestic Dogs (Canis Familiaris): First Evidence for

Social Modulation.” Animal Cognition, vol. 15, no. 4, July 2012, pp. 721–724. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1007/s 10071-012-0473-2.

The authors, researchers who study behavioral and biomedical sciences, animal-assisted therapies, human-animal bonds, empathy, and psychology, wrote the research study “Auditory Contagious Yawning in Domestic Dogs (Canis Familiaris): First Evidence for Social Modulation” and published their results on Springer-Verlag’s Animal Cognition in 2012. They wanted to test whether dogs understand yawning and if they could produce a similar response. Out of the four different yawns recorded, the two familiar yawns were of their owner since there was a close connection, while the other two unfamiliar yawns were both of one researcher to limit the possibility of an external factor. Results demonstrate that dogs recognize the act of yawning and even yawn more when they see a familiar face yawn compared to a stranger yawn. This recent study proves that dogs are emotionally intelligent due to their ability to show affection by yawning after they recognize a familiar human yawn. When related to other research sources about a dog’s social and cognitive intelligence, results confirm that dogs truly do have intelligence.

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Soproni, Krisztina, et al. “Comprehension of Human Communicative Signs in Pet Dogs (Canis Familiaris).”

Journal of Comparative Psychology, vol. 115, no. 2, June 2001, p. 122. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1037/07 35-7036.115.2.122.

The authors are researchers who study ethology, dogs, and animal cognition, science, and behavior as well as released the research article “Comprehension of Human Communicative Signs in Pet Dogs (Canis Familiaris)” in 2001 on the Journal of Comparative Psychology. They wanted to discover whether dogs could interpret human cues such as pointing, gazing, head nodding, and head turning, which would allow dogs to choose the correct cup that had food hidden underneath. Prior to the actual study, the dogs went through pre-training with the goal that they would be able to understand that food could be hidden underneath a cup and in turn give the dogs an incentive to choose the correct cup based on human signals. These researchers found that dogs were able to recognize human signs as forms of communication and as result, learned to pick the cup that humans hinted at in order to get rewarded with the food hidden beneath. This older study indicates that dogs are socially intelligent because they are able to understand the complexities of human communication and thus act based on the gestures given. When paired with similar research sources about dog cognition, emotion, and intelligence, results verify that as a whole, dogs are intelligent animals.

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Frank, Joshua. "An Interactive Model of Human and Companion Animal Dynamics: The Ecology and

Economics of Dog Overpopulation and the Human Costs of Addressing the Problem." Human Ecology, vol. 32, no. 1, 2004, pp. 107-130. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/interactive-model-human-companion-animal-dynamics/docview/206002738/se-2?accountid=14509,doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/B:HUEC.0000015213.66094.06.

Investigative Journalist Joshua Frank is an author and editor covering current political and environmental topics who wrote the article "An Interactive Model of Human and Companion Animal Dynamics: The Ecology and Economics of Dog Overpopulation and the Human Costs of Addressing the Problem" on the Human Ecology Interdisciplinary Journal in 2004. His goal was to examine the human creation of dog overpopulation and how it affects human as well as dog life. Before studying this problem, Frank had to acknowledge the idea that dogs lie in an uncertain gray area between the natural environment and the human world. Therefore, a model was created to recognize the dynamics of dog overpopulation and its connection to euthanasia in animal shelters. He found that as the canine population increases, the number of dogs put to death every year and the costs to human society also increase. Furthermore, according to the model, a “no-kill” society can only be achieved based on human actions and at an acceptable human cost. His article demonstrates that humans are responsible for addressing the dog overpopulation problem due to the fact that they are the ones who created this issue. Overall, dog overpopulation is a problem that greatly affects dogs as a whole and is connected to another greater issue, euthanization rates in shelters, which is illustrated in the other sources.

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Ortega-Pacheco, Antonio, and Matilde Jimenez-Coello. “Debate For and Against Euthanasia in the Control of

Dog Populations.” Google Books, 15 Sept. 2011, Google, books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=xu2 dDwAAQB AJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA233&dq=dog%2Beuthanasia%2Bmethods&ots=I_aQxTGZbT&sig=-TtC4nf 8VZpoeEbbwGJrSEZNKmQ#v=onepage&q=dog%20euthanasia%20methods&f=false. 

Doctor Antonio Ortega-Pacheco, researcher of veterinary and internal medicine and surgery, and Matilde Jimenez-Coello, researcher of biomedical and infectious reproductive diseases, published the article "Debate For and Against Euthanasia in the Control of Dog Populations" as a book on IntechOpen in 2011. They wanted to discover more about dog euthanasia in shelters and how it is treated as a strategy in order to decrease the surplus of this species. Ortega-Pacheco and Jimenez-Coello first had to understand that dogs and humans share the same environment and both play an important evolutionary role. Therefore, when dogs are euthanized inhumanely or against international standards, ethical questions begin to emerge. For humans, euthanasia is meant to alleviate a patient from a deadly disease or a miserable life. On the other hand, the researchers found that in veterinary medicine, healthy dogs are often euthanized for human convenience and research purposes or in hopes to reduce the canine population, specifically in shelters. They also identified that euthanasia is an expensive and ineffective long term solution to control the dog overpopulation and that other humane methods must be taken. Although dog euthanization is assumed to combat dog overpopulation, as illustrated in the previous source, it is actually a poor, unethical method that will not solve this issue.

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Seaman, Andrew. “Six States Seek Ban on Gas Euthanasia of Shelter Animals.” Special to USA Today, 1 Apr.

2009.

Andrew Seaman is a journalist, editor, and media ethicist who focuses on bringing people together as well as released the article "Six States Seek Ban on Gas Euthanasia of Shelter Animals" as a special on the USA Today Newspaper in 2009. His goal was to explain the thought process behind states banning or considering to ban euthanasia methods, such as gas euthanasia, on the notion that they are inhumane. Specifically, gas euthanasia can be a slow and terrifying process where dogs become extremely terrified and begin to gasp for air. They also are seen to desperately attempt to claw their way out of the small, death chamber in an effort to escape. Seaman found that society is beginning to understand that gas is an inhumane form of euthanasia. Additionally, they are noticing gas is unethical and saddening, along with other methods of euthanasia. This is because euthanasia causes stress, pain, and fear in dogs as they are often aware they are going to die. When these unethical forms of euthanasia are connected to the other two articles about dog euthanasia and its positive relationship to dog overpopulation, there is a need to ban all euthanasia methods and instead find an alternative and moral solution to combat dog overpopulation.​

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Frank, Joshua. "An Interactive Model of Human and Companion Animal Dynamics: The Ecology and Economics of Dog

Overpopulation and the Human Costs of Addressing the Problem." Human Ecology, vol. 32, no. 1, 2004, pp. 107-130. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/interactive-model-human-companion-animal-dynamics/docview/206002738/se-2?accountid=14509, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/B:HUEC.0000015 213.66094.06.

Journalist Joshua Frank is an investigative author and editor who examines recent environmental and political topics as well as wrote the 2004 article "An Interactive Model of Human and Companion Animal Dynamics: The Ecology and Economics of Dog Overpopulation and the Human Costs of Addressing the Problem" on the Human Ecology Interdisciplinary Journal. His main intent was to discuss the effectiveness of different methods that can be taken in order to combat dog overpopulation, such as implementing affordable spay and neuter programs, taxing dog sellers who do not work for a pound or shelter, enforcing laws that ban euthanasia, encouraging adoption, increasing shelter space, and educating others about responsible ownership. Frank first created a generalized population flow model to test how alternative, humane policy options effect the dog population compared to euthanasia in shelters. The results determined that although all the solutions were cost-efficient and could help reduce dog overpopulation, the spay and neuter policies were the most effective. This is because the spay and neuter programs grew in strength over time and worked well with adoption efforts. Overall, the dog overpopulation problem can be addressed through a variety human solutions that are not only more ethical, but also more cost-effective compared to dog euthanasia.

 

Hope for Paws. Hope For Paws - Animal Rescue, 2019, www.hopeforpaws.org/. 

Hope for Paws, a non-profit animal rescue organization that saves dogs who are neglected or left to suffer on the streets, recently revised their website "Hope For Paws - Animal Rescue" in 2019 in order to make it a more reliable and updated page. This organization's current goal is to end dog neglect, homelessness, abuse, and euthanasia by rescuing dogs, educating others about dog welfare, and raising awareness for abandoned and neglected dogs. Their team focuses on rescuing "unwanted" dogs and providing veterinary care for dogs who are seriously injured due to cruel human actions. When the dogs grow stronger, they are then transferred to a partner adoption center in hopes that they will soon be adopted. Not only that, Hope for Paws funds spay and neuter clinics so every owner and person could now afford to help reduce dog overpopulation as well as euthanasia rates. Hope for Paws also highlights their YouTube videos on their website to educate people about compassion for these important animals and inspire them to take action. As a whole, Hope for Paws references their website and YouTube videos to educate the public on the importance of companion animals in society today and inspire people to take action, support the cause, sign a petition to end animal cruelty, adopt animals, and help reduce euthanasia rates at shelters across the United States.

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NKLA. “No-Kill Los Angeles - Home.” No-Kill Los Angeles, 2015, nkla.org/home.

NKLA, No-Kill Los Angeles, is an organization who renovated their website "No-Kill Los Angeles - Home" in 2015 so it could resemble a more credible and updated animals welfare page that can help make Los Angeles as well as other other cities no-kill areas. Their main goal behind this page is to serve as a model for how the entire nation should act in order to end the killing of "unwanted" animals, like dogs, in shelters on the basis that these animals do not currently have a home. NKLA uses their website to highlight their work since their efforts have improved many life-saving strategies for dogs and increased the number of no-kill shelters. This was achievable due to the many high volume adoption events held at the NKLA  Adoption Center and high-profile marketing campaigns. Furthermore, this organization is committed to stopping the overpopulation of animals in shelters and provides community-based low-cost spay and neuter services as a result. They also ask communities to continue to donate, volunteer, adopt, foster, and join a research group since these efforts were proven to increase the number of dogs who survived in animal shelters. As a whole, their website demonstrates a collaborative model that can be expanded nationwide in order to prove that a no-kill society can be accomplished once individuals, city shelters, and animal welfare organizations are brought together to end the euthanization of dogs in shelters.