Dogs and Human Beings: A Story of Friendship

Abstract

The wide consensus in research with regard to the modernity of keeping companion animals lies behind the prevailing conclusions about attitudes toward the canine species in pre-modern societies. These were reviewed mainly from a utilitarian perspective. Characterized, in part, by the protective shelter of the extended household and, as such, free of the tensions affecting the nuclear family in industrial cities, pre-modern societies supposedly lacked in the emotional stress and indigence that condition or encourage dog keeping. A careful examination of the sources, both narrative and pictorial, however, suggests more ambivalent attitudes thus challenging widespread research premises and justifying further analysis. This study, covering rural and urban societies in the ancient and medieval periods, examines references to dogs as companion animals in traditional societies.

The Human–Animal Relationship as the Focus of Animal-Assisted Interventions: A One Health Approach

“…Using this logic of circularity and relational reciprocity, we can choose both the species and the individual animal for the AAI. In our opinion, the choice of the species depends on their relational competence, which derives from the history of coevolution with human beings, the ethogram, and the breed [24,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47]. During the domestication process, animals have come to develop a deep relationship with humans.…”

“…Since prehistoric times, humans have only succeeded in domesticating approximately 20 different animal species. Archaeological evidence suggests that dogs were the first species to be domesticated [45,46,47]. Men and wolves established a relationship of a mutual alliance between predators [48], while in other species (e.g., Equidae) such a relationship was created via man’s predatory actions [40,41].…”

Sobre a relação humano-cão

“…Como demonstram Serpell e Hsu (2016), crenças religiosas também influenciam nossa percepção sobre os cães. Menache (1998) menciona que, do ponto de vista histórico, as grandes religiões monoteístas eram contrárias à criação desses animais, considerando-os como impuros e perigosos, ou seja, não havia uma explicação claramente teológica em origem, mas ecológica. Nesse sentido, a autora menciona o nicho ocupado pelos humanos durante a formação dessas religiões, que englobava regiões desérticas da Ásia Menor e que eram suscetíveis a ataques de cães selvagens.…”

“…Assim, o estabelecimento de relações com animais não-humanos que envolvessem afeto, apego e admiração era visto como prejudicial à fé em um único Deus. Obviamente, essa abordagem em relação ao tema não resistiu ao tempo, e a ideologia foi superada pela experiência diária com os cães que claramente demonstraram suas admiráveis singularidades em diversos campos relevantes a nós (Menache, 1998).…”

Food and companion animal welfare: the Islamic perspective.

“…Within the Muslim community, Islamic jurists agree that dog meat is Haram (forbidden) [28], but there is disagreement among Islamic jurists regarding the keeping of dogs as pets. Some Islamic jurists are of the view that dogs are ritually 'dirty' animals [29] and cannot even be kept as pets, they however approve the use of dogs in hunting and guarding [30]. The Prophet is also reported to have said that Angels do not enter houses where dogs are kept [31].…”