Why Do We Rescue Stray Dogs?

By Vincent R. Pozon

At first, like many who have lived with dogs and seen them everywhere, I wondered when it became necessary to rescue them. Aren't they animals that can live unprotected—wild, if you must use the word? 

But it turns out that the answer lies in a loss of their survival instincts. And we are the culprits. 

Generations of breeding for companionship have dulled the hunting and survival instincts that once defined their ancestors. Through domestication, many dogs have developed traits that make them reliant on humans—reduced fear responses, altered digestive systems, and behavioral changes that make them less equipped for life on their own.

In some cultures, it's common for dogs to roam freely, cared for by the community rather than owned by individuals. But more often, dogs now share our beds and food, no longer commissioned to guard our homes or property, and have become dependent on the creature responsible for their domestication—us.

This is a truth that should be more widely recognized: that dogs, having been domesticated, are helpless and in need of the care and attention we owe them.

Recently, I’ve fallen into the habit of watching videos of people rescuing starving, emaciated dogs; of organizations searching high and low for dogs yipping in forests and under cars, coaxing them to trust the rescuer; and of mother dogs pleading to passersby for help for her puppies.

It’s not pleasurable fare for everyone—not for the queasy, nor for eyes that shy away from the unpleasant—but for me, these are stories of victories in minutes, turnarounds in health, and eventual adoptions into loving homes.

Beats Netflix.