Tag: Dog

You’re crying! Study shows dogs get teary-eyed when they reunite with owners

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Dog owners know the pure joy of returning home from a long trip to be greeted by their tail-wagging, uncontrollably jumping, face-licking companion. But those ecstatic canines might be shedding more than just fur on your clothes — they might also be tearing-up, according to a new study published Monday in the journal Current Biology. “We had never heard of the discovery that animals shed tears in joyful situations, such […]

First case of human-to-animal transmission: WHO urges caution after dog catches monkeypox

by Nina LARSON Agence France Presse The World Health Organization called Wednesday for people infected with monkeypox to avoid exposing animals to the virus following a first reported case of human-to-dog transmission. A first case of human-to-dog transmission of monkeypox — between two men and their Italian greyhound living together in Paris — was reported last week in the medical journal The Lancet. “This is the first case reported of human-to-animal transmission… and we believe […]

Study shows dogs can detect Covid-positive arrivals

by Patrick GALEY PARIS, France (AFP) — Dogs can be trained to detect more than 90 percent of Covid-19 infections even when patients are asymptomatic, according to research published Monday, which authors hope could help replace the need to quarantine new arrivals. Using their remarkable sense of smell — which can pick up the equivalent of half a teaspoon of sugar in an olympic-sized swimming pool — dogs have already shown that they can sniff […]

Race to save Bangladesh hound from extinction

by Shafiqul ALAM Agence France-Presse SARAIL, Bangladesh (AFP) — In a rickety hut on the border with Bangladesh and India, two brothers are among the last local breeders of the Sarail hound, a dog on the brink of extinction. Tall and lean with a powerful chest, pointed ears and bi-coloured fur, the rare hound — named after the border town of Sarail — has been treasured in the South Asian nation for centuries. Their sharp eyesight […]

Chilean police train dogs to sniff out COVID-19

SANTIAGO, Chile (AFP) — Police in Chile are training dogs to detect people that may be infected with the novel coronavirus by sniffing their sweat. The dogs — three golden retrievers and a labrador — are between the ages of four and five. Until now they have been used to sniff out illicit drugs, explosives and lost people, police say. The training program is a joint effort by Chile’s national police, the Carabineros, and specialists […]

Dutch dog, cats infected with coronavirus

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AFP) — Dutch authorities on Friday reported the country’s first coronavirus case in a dog and infections in three cats, but said chances of contamination through pets were minimal. The eight-year-old bulldog belonged to a COVID-19 patient and appeared to have been infected by its owner, Dutch Agriculture Minister Carola Schouten said. The dog was put down at the end of April. The three cats were found at a mink farm where […]

Dogs being trained to sniff out COVID-19: charity

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — A British charity has teamed up with scientists to see whether dogs could help detect COVID-19 through their keen sense of smell, they said on Friday. Medical Detection Dogs will work with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Durham University in northeast England to determine whether canines could help diagnoses. It follows previous research into dogs’ ability to sniff out malaria and is based on a […]

Hong Kong pets face coronavirus quarantine after dog tests positive

  HONG KONG, China (AFP) — All pets of people in Hong Kong infected with the coronavirus will be quarantined, with one dog already in isolation, the city’s authorities said Friday. The move is the first reported case anywhere in the world of a government quarantining pets over the outbreak and was prompted by a positive test in the pet of an infected patient. The canine has been placed in quarantine for 14 days as […]

Trump presents Conan the dog, ‘incredible’ hero of Baghdadi raid

  by Jerome CARTILLIER Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — “So this is Conan — right now, probably the world’s most famous dog.” In a stream of superlatives, Donald Trump on Monday introduced to the world the military dog involved in the raid that led to the death of Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. “Conan did a fantastic job,” the US president told the White House press corps, assembled for a […]

Dog wounded in Baghdadi raid back on duty

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The military dog slightly wounded in the US raid which resulted in the death of jihadist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is recovering and back on duty, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday. General Mark Milley said the dog had performed a “tremendous service” during the special forces weekend assault in Syria that led to the death of the leader of the Islamic State group. Announcing […]

Dog finishes Australia half-marathon, wins medal

SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — A dog called Stormy has been awarded a medal after completing a half-marathon in outback Australia and winning the hearts of its human competitors. The crossbreed diligently ran the 21-kilometer (13-mile) Goldfields Pipeline Marathon near the West Australian town of Kalgoorlie this month in two-and-a-half hours, the average time of participants. “People were amused. It was a very friendly dog, and prior to the half-marathon, he was going around saying hello […]