1947 - A patron of “Sammy’s Bowery Follies,” a downtown bar, sleeping at his table while the resident cat laps at his beer.
Wikimedia Commons
It’s the season to be jolly – but don’t share that jollity with your pets. Alcohol, whether in a wine glass, egg-nog or a boozy pudding, is seriously bad for our animal friends.
Pet obesity often says more about an owner’s relationship with their pet than the animal itself.
Susan Schmitz/shutterstock.com
More than half of dogs and cats around the globe are overweight. Are well-intentioned owners to blame?
Amy Laurel Photography/Shutterstock.com
Advent calendars, chocolate Santa decorations … there are lots of tempting treats that could make your pooch very ill this Christmas.
As little as three squares of chocolate can make dogs sick.
Duffy Brook
Chocolate poisoning in dogs remains a problem, particularly at Christmas.
Having a pet dog turns out to be a highly car-dependent affair.
Australian cities generally don’t allow pet dogs on public transport. Instead, owners need their own vehicle to travel with their dogs, and it’s a surprisingly important factor in our car dependency.
A messenger dog at Etaples, 28 August 1918.
Imperial War Museum
Either medals or destruction appears to await canine companions from the battlefield.
A coyote cools off in the shade of a leafy suburb. Wildlife interactions with pets and humans can transfer disease, including the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis.
(Winston Wong/flickr)
A parasite found in coyotes, wolves and foxes is now spreading to dogs and their owners as its range expands across Canada.
Chishuru, a male African elephant, indicates a target scent during trials.
Graham Alexander
Elephants have the highest count of olfactory receptor genes of any species tested to date. This suggests that they may be the best smellers in the animal kingdom.
Shutterstock
It can be easy to tell how dogs are feeling but new evidence suggests they’re also trying to communicate.
One man and his dog.
Pierre Malou
There can be a difference in the way some dogs react to men and women, and it can also matter if the dog is a he or a she.
Awareness and knowledge about rabies at a local level is key. This can help prevent bites and encourage people to get post-exposure treatment.
Sarah Cleaveland
The strategy to eliminate human rabies is straight forward: vaccinate dogs, provide prompt post-exposure vaccines, public education and awareness on prevention.
© UCL Grant Museum of Zoology / Jazmine Miles-Long
Dogs, rats, cats, cows, chickens and mice have also changed the world.
Southpaws seem to be more common among cats and dogs than humans.
Eric Isselee/Shutterstock.com
The animal kingdom is full of lefties and righties, although rarely is the ratio skewed as much as it is in humans. If you’re wondering about your own pet, you can find out with a simple experiment.
As sick as a dog.
shutterstock
A longer life for humans and pets means more challenges for doctors and vets.
Adopt a dog - irresponsible breeders will create more dogs that will suffer from lack care in their early months.
AlexasFotos
Dogs from intensive ‘puppy farms’ suffer in their early monthslife, with repercussions for them – and their owners – for the rest of their lives.
Let’s just go our separate ways.
anaxolotl
Sometimes a dog can have very good reasons for hating its humans.
Feral pigs are found in every state and territory in Australia.
Shutterstock
Swine brucellosis is spreading from Queensland into New South Wales. It’s carried by feral pigs and poses a real risk the people and dogs that hunt them.
Tabatha Bundesen’s pet Tardar Sauce became an Internet sensation known as “Grumpy Cat” for a resting facial appearance that resembles a look of dissatisfaction. Now, scientists are starting to be able to read animal emotions from their expressions.
(AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
Scientists are beginning to link animal facial expressions to emotions, making it possible for us to understand how they feel.
Red-eared sliders were once popular pets but are currently banned in Australia. These turtles are still regularly found in the wild and being kept as illegal pets.
Pablo Garcia-Diaz
Exotic pets may rank highly on the novelty and excitement scale, but little is known about their ownership in Australia.
Hot dog.
Shutterstock
You’re lucky – dogs can only sweat through their paws.