Mini Act of Cultural Vandalism - Leave the window open or the dog would melt

Hot Cars Kill Dogs campaign video from Dogs Trust (2014)

I recently found out about this internet campaign from the UK animal welfare charity Dogs Trust (formerly known as the National Canine Defense League). It tackles a problem every person involved n or concerned about animal welfare gets angry about every summer - dogs trapped in cars on sunny days. 

They are no actual statistics on how many dogs die in such a preventable way (I tried typing "how many dogs die in hot cars each year" into Google and I got nothing. Not a single number.). But the high school biologist in me knows why it happens. A human could withstand the heat inside a hot car (though some children have died in hot cars (38 a year in the US, according to this website.)). This is because humans sweat. Dogs can't sweat. That is why they stick their tongues out when their exhausted... or hot. The lack of sweat glands can limit their ability to withstand heat. But many humans don't know this fact and assume that a few minutes in a car will be fine because it was fine for them. It's only when they return to a car containing a dead dig that they realize how wrong their assumption was. 

What got me seeing this video was how devilishly simple the idea is - a time lapse of a ice sculpture of a dog melting in a car. What struck me was how come no one had thought of this until 2014? Its so obvious. The charity has been around since 1891 (just when cars were beginning to scare horses and running over small animals on the road). Why now? But I guess the dog in hot car problem didn't exist until fully enclosed passenger compartments began to be the norm in the 1920s (before most cars were convertibles). Also, it would have been expensive to set up a time lapse camera (something a charity can't afford to do (until now)).

It is a brilliant idea that illustrates a common problem in the world and I applaud it. But the cinematographer in me sees need for improvement, such as engraving a name on the collar (something in the theme of ice, such as "Frozo") and ending the video with a close-up on the collar showing the dog's name. But please ignore it and not take it as an insult, because they have made something great. It deserves an award of some sort for its simplest and execution. Dogs Trust, I salute to you. 

And now the behind the scenes footage featuring Rico and Lolly...

A thought concerning dog genetics

Crufts (one of the biggest events for dog lovers in the year) is on the telly now and it jogged my memory about something years ago.

In 2008 the BBC aired the documentary Pedigree Dogs Exposed, which showed that thanks to years of inbreeding and desire for unnatural features, many pure-breed dogs are suffering severe and deadly genetic disorders... like the Habsburgs. 

Of course, such a documentary created controversy in dog breeding circles and kennel clubs. One result of which (which is why it has jogged my memory) is that Crufts isn't on the BBC anymore. Its now on one of the commercial channels (I thinks it hops channels every year or so). 

Apart from dog lovers having their coverage of Crufts interrupted by TV commercials (which may include some audio messages that only dogs can hear for certain brands of dog food (I'm joking, the but the motive and means exist), the documentary had me thinking about the long term consequences of such deadly inbreeding. If such inbreeding continues that the dog (as a species) dies out, humans will move to breed other animals, most likely cats. When cats die of inbreeding, its a matter of time when someone has the idea of breeding apes for domestication. This will lead to someone breeding intelligence in them and that could result in a revolution that'll enslave the human race. In others word (to sum up) the inbreeding of dogs is the first step in a series of events that'll led to ... The Planet of the Apes!

Who would have thought it. The acts of irresponsible dog breeders would lead to Charlton Heston on that beach saying "Damn you all to hell!" in front of a ruined Statue of Liberty. 

This is a thought I had soon after this documentary came out, so its an old thought.

Since that time, things have improved for dogs, with improved restrictions on what is desirable on dog shows. They are still some irresponsible breeders out there who are (unintentionally) going to cause the enslavement of all humans by intelligent apes, so if you are a pet lover (and don't want your descendants been slaves to the sons of Caesar, the chimp that said "no") be careful where you buy your dogs! The future of the human race (and dogs (and possibly cats as well)) depends on you.

Before I end, I like to point out that I like animals (including dogs), my sister owns three Huskies and many relatives who own pets themselves, so no accusations that I don't know anything about animals (let alone dogs). Anyone who studies high school biology (including me and my sister) knows that inbreeding is a bad idea for any species (including dogs (and cats)).