dog

We believed that sleeping with our dog or cat was a comforting and healthy idea. Science shows that it destroys your night’s rest

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More than ten years ago it was carried out a survey of 23,000 pet owners. There were curious data: a quarter of them admitted treating their pet as if they were small children and a little less than 75% admitted keeping photos of them. But perhaps the most striking thing is that half admitted sleeping with their pets. There is no memory of a sociological division of this magnitude since the potato omelet. So we’ve been wondering what science said about sleeping with your dog or cat. Do people really sleep with their pets? The truth is that sleep researchers haven’t paid much attention to the topic. We have a lot of pseudo-theories about ‘dominance’ or ‘doggy soul’ that are very successful on reality television, but the research in the ‘human-animal co-sleeping‘was a relatively forgotten area that in recent years has experienced a boom. As we have spoken on other occasions, sleep is a more cultural phenomenon than it seems and changes a lot between regions and times (Blunden, Thompson and Dawson; Worthman and Melby; Munroe, Munroe and Whiting). In the same way that it was relatively recently that Western societies separated resting places by age (children and adults), it was only relatively recently that spaces between humans and animals were completely separated. In fact, there are many cultures in which these coexistence practices are maintained naturally. And the most solid studies (Albert and Bulcroft; Westgarth et al.; Overgaauw) coincide with the survey in that there is a 50% split in co-sleeping with dogs and cats – which are the most common nocturnal companions (Albert and Bulcroft). And it’s curious because Since 2018 we know that dogs are less annoying than cats. In this sense, it cannot be said that the results of the survey are surprising. Research maintains that humans continue to show a strong attachment to their pets and are often considered important members of the family (Archer). As it says Smiththis is not free: animals are a source of support, affection, comfort, security and stability which can have important health benefits. It is true that the size of the pet has a lot to do with it and if we look in more detail (for example, in dogs) we see that 76.85% of Yorkshire Terriers or 62.96% of Chihuahuas sleep with their owners compared to 18.18% of Saint Bernards or 30.27% of Labradors. Even so, the percentage of Saint Bernards is a very high percentage. In addition to what Eckstein already pointed out, other factors that intervene are the number of children in the family (more likely where there are no children – Albert and Bulcroft) or gender (more likely with women). Some problems of sharing a bed with pets Research suggests there are some potential problems with sharing bedding with animals. Health risks. These include some immune responses, allergies, asthma or hypersensitivity pneumonitis; Bites and scratches can also occur through which infectious diseases associated with domestic animals can be contracted (Plaut, Zimmerman and Goldstein). Those most susceptible to these types of problems are young children, pregnant women and immunocompromised patients (Smith). However, the overall health risks are very low; almost insignificant if the animals receive medical care and maintain proper hygiene. Sleep problems. In general, the main problems related to sleep quality involve companions (kicking, snoring, etc.) and children, but pets also play an important role. Without going any further, a study from the Mayo Clinic found that fifty-three percent of pet owners who slept with their pets had problems resulting from it. Nevertheless, it is difficult to know the real impact of these interruptions because they are very short interruptions that by themselves explain little: however, it seems that Yes, there is a difference between sleeping in the bedroom or in the bed.. This is because interruptions can be related to temperature imbalances between humans and pets; as well as differences in sleep and wake cycles (Campbell and Tobler). If they only sleep in the bedroom, everything becomes easier. Behavior problems in animals. Jagoe and Serpell found that dogs that are allowed to sleep with their owners may experience an increase in aggression and separation-related problems. Effect on interpersonal relationships. Finally, animals can be an important source of conflict and stress in relationships. Coming to generate intimacy problems (Jagoe and Serpell) Should we sleep with our pets? Smith and his research team found that sleeping with pets in the bed had a small impact on sleep quality in the time taken to fall asleep or feeling tired when waking up. However, the authors maintain that the continued practice of co-sleeping with pets indicates benefits of social support, social interaction and personal safetydespite the disadvantages. In general, it seems that science agrees with common sense. Sleeping accompanied by animals can have some problems but always related to previous problems at a health and behavioral level. And, on the other hand, if our pet is healthy, has proper hygiene and a ‘good education’, not only are there no problems, but it can have very positive effects. The evidence has been divided in recent yearsbut remains unanimous in this regard Images | Faith Goble, John Liu, Tony Alter, Jon-Eric Melsæter. Xataka | We have been looking at Noah’s syndrome as a minority and controlled problem for years. we were wrong *An earlier version of this article was published in January 2016

A cement company stopped sending its personnel to inspect dangerous areas. Your new inspector is a robot dog

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Even though the conversation revolves around humanoid robotics Lately, this sector has had much more traction in the industry for decades, driving a good part of the current processes and assembly lines. In this regard, a Swiss cement plant has wanted to take advantage of robotics in a somewhat peculiar way: it has been using a quadruped robot to monitor your facilities every night. Below these lines we tell you all the details. The problem that had to be solved. Vigier Ciment has been producing cement in the hills of the Swiss Jura, south of Biel, for a century and a half, generating approximately a fifth of all cement in the country. Its plant houses more than 1,000 machines spread across several buildings and floors, connected by metal stairs of up to 16 sections, areas with temperatures that reach 50 degrees, constant dust and the occasional presence of ammonia near the unloading docks. The maintenance of all this fell to operators who toured the facilities on foot filling out paper records. Over time, continued exposure to these conditions generates what the plant workers themselves call “operational blindness.” You stop seeing what is in front of you because you have already seen it too many times, according to collect Techeblog. The guard dog. Just like account The medium, in November 2024 the Swiss robotics company ANYbotics began talks with Vigier Ciment to deploy its ANYmal quadruped robot at the plant. The robot arrived on January 6, 2025 and before the end of the first month it was already carrying out night patrols completely autonomously. ANYmal is similar in size to a large dog and weighs more than 50 kilos. It does not need human supervision, and its managers say it climbs stairs, avoids obstacles, navigates narrow hallways and accesses areas that previously required considerable effort on the part of staff. What exactly does it do in every round. Every night, even on weekends, ANYmal goes through more than 450 inspection points predefined elements distributed in three mills and six levels. To do this, it has several detection systems, including a visual camera that identifies cracks, oil leaks or corrosion; a thermal camera that measures the temperature of critical components such as bearings, motors and gears; a gas sensor that monitors ammonia levels; and an acoustic camera capable of locating compressed air leaks or filter failures at distances of up to 50 meters. According to point In the middle, all that information is automatically dumped into a software platform called Data Navigator, which analyzes the data collected overnight, compares it to the facility’s history, and generates a daily report for the maintenance team. What he has found along the way. In sixteen months of operation, ANYmal has already completed more than 33,000 inspections without recording any technical failures. According to ANYbotics, the most relevant findings have had a direct impact on plant operations. The middle share In addition, the robot detected a crack in the base of a shredder the size of a large kitchen table. The oil had been leaking for some time and no one had reported it on the usual rounds. The repair was completed the next day. Had it collapsed, the plant would have lost more than a week of production, with estimated losses of more than $630,000, according to the company’s own figures. In another case, thermal monitoring detected a bearing reaching 140 degrees Celsius, allowing a $30,000 eight-hour repair to be scheduled rather than facing a much more costly emergency failure. The robot also detected levels of ammonia exposure at unloading docks that had not been measured until then, and located air leaks in filtration systems installed 50 meters high. Industrial maintenance. The plant’s traditional fixed sensors only covered about 200 elements, mainly on the clinker side (the main component of cement). The robot expands that coverage substantially and accesses areas that static sensors cannot reach. At the same time, it removes operators from the most dangerous environments without reducing the frequency or quality of inspections. Images | ANYbotics In Xataka | One of the big problems with AI is that it always proves you right: this is the most effective way to avoid it

We continue to find explanations for the fertility crisis in the most unexpected places, such as dog allergies.

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A 29-year-old Lithuanian woman was desperate before her problems conceiving. After trying it naturally without any results, she and her partner went to an assisted reproduction clinic, where she underwent two in vitro fertilization (IVF). Both failed. Anatomical and biochemical tests showed that, apparently, she should have no problems getting pregnant. But I couldn’t do it. After going through many specialists, an allergist found the key. The woman was allergic to her partner’s semen. And perhaps also that of any human being. Many allergies. According to a case report published in 2024 According to some of the doctors who treated her, the woman had a long history of asthma and allergies. He had long been allergic to mold, dust and cats. However, a series of more recent tests had also pointed to sensitivity to mites, pollen from various plants and some proteins from insects and dogs. What stood out above all was his allergy to the protein allergen 5 of Canis familiaris (Chan f 5). It is a protein that is in dog dander and urine and is responsible for a good part of the allergies to these pets. But there is something else. It turns out that in human semen there are proteins that look very similar to Can f 5. The woman acknowledged that after having unprotected sex, she often experienced symptoms like sneezing and a stuffy nose, so it all added up. Possibly, her body was reacting to some proteins in the semen, preventing her from getting pregnant. The definitive test. After reaching this suspicion, her allergist decided to subject her to a new test. In it, he was exposed in a controlled manner to his partner’s semen, with a clearly positive result. She was allergic to human seminal plasma. That is, the liquid part of the semen. This is rare, but not exceptional. There are 80 known cases worldwide and it is true that they can be related to infertility. The causes of infertility. Allergies are, broadly speaking, wrong reactions of the immune system. It confuses completely harmless proteins, such as some in dog dander, with pathogens, and reacts to them as if they were potentially harmful bacteria, for example. This reaction generates great inflammation; which, in this case, could also affect the reproductive organs, preventing pregnancy. Although there is something that doesn’t add up. IVF treatments consist of putting eggs and sperm in contact in the laboratory to obtain the embryo, which is then transferred to the mother. Therefore, she is not in contact with the semen, but with the already formed embryo. Despite this loose bangs, the doctors decided to try some of the usual treatments. Woman used to sneeze after having sex The treatment. Generally, these allergies are treated like any other: with gradual exposure to increasing concentrations of the allergen, which in this case would be your partner’s semen. The problem is that this treatment is not available in Lithuania. For this reason, women were prescribed antihistamines so that he could take them just before having sex. This way, you would avoid an exaggerated reaction of your body to the proteins in semen. There was no happy ending. Unfortunately, when the woman went for a check-up three years later, she still did not get pregnant. In addition, she had begun to experience new symptoms with sexual intercourse, such as burning in the vagina, inflammation of the eyelids, and watery eyes. The case report ends here. So far, the patient had not managed to put an end to her infertility. Maybe there are other reasons. The study does not mention whether your partner underwent fertility tests, although it is part of the routine in assisted reproduction clinics. They should have been done. Maybe there was something else and that’s why she didn’t get pregnant with IVF either. No further studies have been published, so we don’t know if he later succeeded. What is clear is that these allergies should be considered as a possibility in cases of infertility of unknown cause. It’s strange, but we see that it’s not impossible. Image | Magnificent In Xataka | It’s that time of year in Japan where everyone wears a mask. Blame it on World War II

If the question is whether your neighbors can prohibit you from having a dog, the answer is not in the Animal Welfare Law: it is in Vigo

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Can the community of owners of your building prohibit you from having a pet? The answer, as is usual when it comes to legislation and clash of rights, is a huge ‘it depends’. The Horizontal Property Law (LHP) says little about it and the animal welfare standard It even remembers that owners are obliged to keep their dogs, cats and other animals “integrated into the family nucleus.” Now, a sentence dictated in Galicia reminds us that the subject is much more complex and has chiaroscuros. There, in fact, a man has lost the legal battle to live with his poodle. Legal pulse in Galicia. Coexistence in neighborhood communities is not always easy. even less when a dog, cat or any other pet that can cause noise or dirty common areas is added to the equation. In a building in Nigrán (province of Pontevedra) these frictions have led to a legal pulse between the owner of a flat and the rest of his neighbors that has had an unexpected outcome: justice has endorsed that the latter (the board of owners) have the right to prohibit the former from living with their dog. It matters when and how. The sentence Galician, yes, responds to a case with very specific particularities. To understand it, we have to go back to 2010, when the residents of the property unanimously approved, in an ordinary general meeting, to prohibit the presence of any animal on the floors and common areas of the building. They only left one exception: guide dogs. In 2011, that decision was ratified as an internal rule that was incorporated into the community’s statutes, where it remains today. In theory, the pet ban didn’t cause any more problems until a few years ago, when one of the families in the building acquired a poodle. This led to the rest of the neighbors holding an extraordinary general meeting at the end of 2023 to revalidate the 2010 rule and reiterate the veto on pets. The dog’s owner did not like the decision, who went to court in March 2024 for what he considered an “abusive” rule and contrary to the Animal Welfare Law. Crossover of arguments. The Nigrán lawsuit is interesting because it demonstrates the legal intricacies that these types of disputes can have, but it is equally important to understand that the ruling responds to a very specific case. To begin with, there is a key fact that is responsible for highlighting the magistrate herself in her order: the neighbor in disagreement knew “the existence, content and purpose” of the community rule long before acquiring the poodle. What’s more, if the pet ban was approved in 2010, it was partly at the request of his father, who already lived in the property. In short: the affected party was informed of the ban. What did he then claim before the judge? That, in his opinion, the legal context of 2010 is not the same as that of 2024, when he presented his complaint. And it is not, he insists, because in September 2023 The Animal Welfare Law (LBA) came into force, a rule that recognizes pets as “sentient” beings. Did you convince the magistrate? No. Perhaps the legislation on pets is different today than in 2010, but the Vigo judge in charge of the lawsuit has seen it clearly: The LBA does not overthrow the board’s agreement. “It does not establish an absolute and unlimited right to own pets nor does it automatically repeal any community provision that regulates or limits said tendency.” “It does not eliminate the possibility of establishing legitimate limitations when they respond to reasons of coexistence, health or general interest,” he emphasizes. What exactly does the LBA say? The rule, which came into force three years ago, points out that owners of pets must “keep them integrated into the family nucleus, whenever possible due to their species, in good health and hygiene”, although it also specifies that when this is not feasible (due to their size or species) their caregivers must find them “appropriate accommodation”. He same article of the LBA makes it clear in any case that pet owners are obliged to adopt “the necessary measures” so that they do not cause “annoyance, danger, threats or damage” to other people, animals or property, which includes, among other things, preventing them from soiling public spaces. And the Horizontal Property Law? When it comes to coexistence and blocks of neighbors, the reference Bible is another norm, something older: the Horizontal Property Law (LPH). It does not address the issue of pets directly, but it does provide a series of important guidelines. The main one appears in article 7.2, which reminds that neither the owner of an apartment nor its tenants, if any, can carry out “activities prohibited in the statutes, harmful to the property or that contravene the general provisions on annoying, unhealthy, harmful, dangerous or illicit activities.” In cases like this it can end in trial. The value of the statutes. The ruling of the Vigo court recalls the weight of the decisions adopted in neighborhood associations, the statutes and the importance of the rules of coexistence being duly registered in the Property Registry. Also the nuance of whether the veto on pets is before or after a neighbor gets one and whether or not he knows this in advance. In any case the Galician magistrate slide An important fact: the LBA “does not establish an unrestricted right to the presence of animals anywhere.” Images | Charles Puaud (Unsplash) and Zhen Yao (Unsplash) In Xataka | Your cat asks you to cuddle and then bites you. It’s not evil, it’s that you don’t understand its signs

93% of owners believe that sleeping with their dog improves their rest. Science has just proven that it is self-deception

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Night comes, you get into bed and, almost out of inertia, your dog or cat jumps on the mattress to curl up at your feet. For many people, pets are full members of the family and even share the sheets. According to a report from the platform Sleep Foundation56% of people say they sleep with a pet in their room. The bond is so strong that the mere idea of ​​changing this habit generates rejection. Sleep psychologist Shelby Harris recounts in an interview for The New York Times that when caring for patients with insomnia problems, the first reaction is usually almost defensive: “I have a dog. You’re going to tell me not to sleep with him.” And, although sleeping with our animals gives us an immense feeling of peace, the scientific community has begun to empirically measure what happens in our body and brain during the night. The bad news is that, objectively, your rest could be suffering much more than you realize. Data under the microscope. An exhaustive study published in the scientific journal Scientific Reports decided to put exact figures on this phenomenon. Researcher Brian N. Chin and his team analyzed the habits of a representative sample of more than 1,500 adults in the United States. The results revealed that sleeping with pets is directly associated with poorer perceived sleep quality and greater severity of insomnia symptoms. Interestingly, the impact is not identical with all animals. Research analyzes showed that this negative effect on human sleep is strongly associated with dog owners, but no evidence was found that the same damage occurs when sleeping with cats. This difference may be due to the fact that dogs have greater sensitivity to external stimuli, waking up more easily to the noise of cars or barking in the neighborhood. The main problem lies in the sleeper’s self-deception. The author of the study highlights a surprising fact: 93% of people who slept with their pets firmly believed that their pets had a positive or neutral effect on their sleep. This disconnection between perception and biological reality is also supported In another study carried out on 12 women; Although the monitoring devices showed that the dogs constantly interrupted their rest, they rarely reported these interruptions the next morning. Why do we rest worse if we feel good? Dr. Vsevolod Polotsky, a sleep researcher at Johns Hopkins University, explains that the sleep of dogs and cats is not continuous; They inevitably move, bark, scratch or walk on the bed and on us. All this nocturnal activity causes what experts call “microawakenings.” Neurology professor Kristen Knutson details that these brief interruptions, which we are often not even aware of, are extremely disruptive because they abruptly take us out of the deep sleep phase. Worse yet, they have been associated with the release of the stress hormone cortisol, which significantly worsens overall rest. Furthermore, the investigation of Scientific Reports demolished one of the most widespread beliefs: the myth that the pet acts as a protective shield against anxiety before sleeping. Although high levels of life stress were associated with worse sleep, the scientists found no evidence that sleeping with the animal had a “buffering” effect that would protect the person from the ravages of stress. However, purely emotional logic has an undeniable weight in this equation. Sleeping with a pet, especially one with whom you have a close bond, can reduce the sense of perceived vulnerability and dramatically increase the feeling of security. We are faced with a complex exchange: our physical body experiences fragmented and less efficient sleep, but the animal’s mere presence helps emotional regulation by making us feel happy and protected. The verdict of the specialists. For animals, the experience of sharing sheets is undoubtedly positive. Dr. Dana Varble, veterinary director of the North American Veterinary Community, points out that animals Those who sleep with their owners experience higher levels of trust, as well as an increase in beneficial neurotransmitters such as oxytocin and dopamine, known as the feel-good hormones. However, in the case of humans, medical specialists warn about certain risk profiles: Respiratory problems: People with allergies or asthma are at risk of seeing their symptoms activated by being exposed to allergens such as animal dander for multiple hours in a closed space. Persistent allergens: Dr. Raj Dasgupta, pulmonologist, warns that allergens They also reside in the animal’s saliva and skin, which can cause watery eyes and continued nasal congestion throughout the night. Previous disorders: For those who suffer from chronic problems such as insomnia or sleep apnea, Dr. Polotsky is very clear when stating that bed sharing “is particularly harmful” and will prevent the patient from falling asleep again when they wake up. There are, of course, medical exceptions where the balance tips in favor of the animal. Service dogs trained for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are of great help by knowing how to identify physical symptoms and wake their owners to interrupt nocturnal nightmares. Dr. Dasgupta also recognizes that, For people dealing with depression or anxiety, the pet can act as a comforting “big blanket” that effectively decreases distress. The unwanted companions. Beyond sleep quality, hygiene adds another layer of risk to nighttime living. A revealing pilot study published in the scientific journal Pathogens investigated what exact bacteria and parasites we take to bed. Of the 50 animals analyzed, 30% literally slept in bed, under the blankets with their humans. The most striking thing about this research was the great contradiction of the owner: although 42% of all respondents cited lack of hygiene as the main reason why pets should not be allowed into the bedroom, in practice, many ignored the risk and allowed them to sleep there. Microscopic measurements of the fur were surprising. The aerobic colony count (ACC) on the dogs’ hair exceeded the maximum limits of bacteria tolerated on hospital surfaces or in food preparation areas by 4 to 43 times. Even more graphic is that 64% of the dogs tested positive for … Read more

leave the dog on the terrace

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The Animal Welfare Law (LBA) was approved in March 2023 and came into force ago almost three yearsbut even so there are still details of the rule that remain unclear among dog and cat owners. Specifically there is a doubt that has circulated in recent weeks, coinciding with the arrival of good weather: Can I leave my dog ​​on the terrace or balcony? If I have a yard, does the law allow the dog to spend there every day and night? The LAB is clear about this. One fact: 6.9 million. If you go to a park in your city (it doesn’t matter which one) and sit on a bench to observe, you are more likely to encounter more dogs than children. I’m not saying it. They say it the statistics. In 2025, the INE had around 1.7 million of people under five years of age. The data does not attract attention only because of how it has been reducing over the years (in 2015 there were 1.9 million), it also does so because it confirms that in Spanish homes there are many more pets than babies. According to the estimates According to ANFAAC, the industry dedicated to producing pet food, in Spain there are almost seven million dogs and 5.9 million cats registered. The ‘photography’ offered by the Spanish Network for the Identification of Pet Animals (REIAC) is somewhat different, but just as forceful: in our country there are between 9.2 and 10.1 million dogs, between 968,000 and 1.2 million cats and thousands of ferrets, just over 50,000. How should we treat them? Taking these figures into account, it is better understood that the guidelines on how to treat and care for them have become a priority. Not only for the safety of the animal. Contravene the rules contained in the Animal Welfare Law (LBA), the rule that has regulated the care of pets since 2023, can also lead to significant sanctions. As a reference, the text contemplates three types of infractions, according to their relevance: minor ones can lead to a simple warning or fines of between 500 and 10,000 euros, serious ones extend that range up to 50,000 and the most serious ones carry sanctions of between 51,000 and 200,000 euros. Pets and terraces. With the arrival of good weather there is a question about pet care that has begun to circulate on the Internet: Can a dog live on a terrace or balcony? Can we put a shed there and make it your permanent ‘home’? And in a patio, in case we have one? Can our pet stay there all the time? The truth is that the LBA is clear on this issue. In your article 27 (section ‘e’), in which it lists the “specific prohibitions” on pets, cites as a prohibited practice “habitually keeping dogs and cats on terraces, balconies, rooftops, storage rooms, basements, patios and similar or vehicles.” And in case it is not clear, later, in article 74, it states that installing an animal “permanently” in any of these spaces will be considered a serious infraction, just like stealing. Does it say anything else? Yes. That is not the only indication that the LBA gives about how and where our pets should live. The LBA expressly prohibits and categorically “intentionally abandon them in closed or open spaces” and remember that the owners must “keep them integrated into the family nucleus, whenever possible due to their species.” When this is not possible due to the type of pet or its size, the animal must have “adequate accommodation, with rooms in accordance with its dimensions and that protect it from inclement weather.” Again, and in case there were any doubts, the LBA insist in which pets that live outdoors must have a prepared place to hide. The other warning. With the summer holidays (almost) knocking at the door there is another guideline of the LBA that should be kept in mind: if you have dogs or cats, the law does not allow you to go on vacation for days and days and ignore the animals. It is not enough to leave the water bowls full and the feeders overflowing. In article 25, the same one in which it talks about terraces, the law prohibits “leaving any pet animal unsupervised for more than three consecutive days.” What’s more, if we talk about dogs, that period cannot exceed 24 hours. Much more than a law. That the LBA goes into such detail and regulates such basic issues may seem exaggerated, but the reality is that today they can still be found. without much effort news about dogs that their owners confine on terraces, sometimes no food or wateror even in window sills. Veterinarians also warn often of the serious risks involved in leaving animals exposed to the hot sun. Above all if we talk about closed and small spaces, like cars. Images | Jakub Flis (Unsplash) and Beth Macdonald (Unsplash) In Xataka | In Alicante, the Animal Welfare Law has put associations on a war footing over an issue: feline colonies

If you feel guilty every time you leave your dog home alone, science has an explanation (and a couple of solutions)

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Anyone who has a dog as a pet has probably faced a big problem when they grab their keys and coat and head out the door. This is nothing more than the whining and nervous pacing of an animal behind its owner that can end up barking or even destroying some object in the home due to the stress they feel when they are left alone and ‘abandoned’ under their conscience. However, science suggests that This separation anxiety is a bidirectional phenomenon. In two senses. As stated in different texts, leaving our pet alone not only triggers a peak of stress in the animal, but also generates a deep burden of guilt and anxiety in the human. And no, it is not that we are excessively humanizing our dogs, it is that our brains and theirs have developed an attachment bond that is comparable to that of interpersonal relationships. It’s not parenting. One idea we have in mind is that when a dog has anxiety when its owner leaves, for example, for work, it is the result of having had a very permissive childhood in which no animal restrictions were imposed. But today this has changed with important data. We can find these data in a large study published in 2020 on the canine population in Finland that revealed that between 14% and 20% Of dogs suffer from separation anxiety, they often have a strong fear of other stressors, such as loud noise. Why do they do it? Neither revenge nor general anger at having been left alone come into play here, but rather this behavior is linked to patterns of frustration and panic. Besides, there are some factors that predispose animals to have these problems, such as being male, coming from a shelter, having suffered early weaning or facing an environment that lacks predictability. In the human. Staying with only the reaction that the animal has, the truth is that it is a very short understatement. And here science has seen that owners also experience stress, difficulty concentrating at work or even cancel social plans to avoid the distress of leaving their pet alone. And here the bond that is generated between the human and the animal comes into play, being an attachment bond like that of a father with his newborn. And the people who develop an “anxious attachment” to their pets are precisely those who experience higher levels of anxiety when separating from them, as well as much more serious depressive and somatic symptoms when the animal dies or is not present. The solution. One of the important points in this case lies in teaching the dog’s brain that “exit signals” such as taking the keys or putting on the shoes, do not necessarily mean the end of the world, doing them without leaving the house. But also, we must keep in mind that when we return home we do not have to ‘throw a party’ to compensate for the guilt, since we only confirm to the dog that our absence was a terrible state of exception that has finally ended. This is why reunion should be normalized when we talk about a few hours of separation. Images | Wade Austin Ellis In Xataka | We have been using our pets to relieve our anxiety. And now the stress is on them

abandoned dog poop

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In Spain there are more pets what children Quite a few more. That is why it is not strange that more and more city councils pay attention to one of the problems derived from this ‘boom’ of domestic animals: the poop abandoned in parks, sidewalks, streets… at the mercy of clueless pedestrians who end up carrying it on the soles of their shoes. Recently Pablo Muñoz Gabilondothe creator of ‘Pipper on Tour’did the math and verified that in Spain there are already 87 municipalities who have opted for the DNA censuses to fine uncivil pet owners. and the number keeps growing. What has happened? That in Spain there are town councils that have declared war to abandoned dog poop is not nothing new. Nor that many of these consistories have found an unexpected ally in science. What is striking is the extent to which this measure has spread throughout the Spanish geography in a matter of a decade, reaching dozens of cities. Since 2018 Malaga started to create a bank of dog DNA samples to identify which animals the abandoned feces belonged to and (most importantly) fine their ownersmore and more cities have opted for a similar measure. One of the latest has been Tarragona, which in February launched an information campaign six months to raise awareness among dog owners. One figure: 87. Recently Pablo Muñoz, creator of ‘Pipper on Tour’did a search and came to the conclusion that in Spain there are already 87 towns that have opted for DNA censuses to put an end to abandoned dog poop. Not all of them are at the same point. 68 of those 87 municipalities have implemented genetic control systems to improve the cleanliness of their streets. The remaining 19 are working on it and have it more or less advanced. There are very different cases on the list. Malaga is included, for example, which already applied fines in 2018and others like Tarragona, which last October still I was looking companies capable of carrying out genetic analysis of canine excrement and is still in an initial phase. The overall ‘photo’ is interesting because it shows that the measure continues to spread throughout the country. In fact, in recent months, localities such as Alcala either Three Songs. An uneven map. The study de Muñoz leaves another conclusion: not all regions of Spain have been equally interested in canine DNA censuses. The 87 cities and towns identified by the expert are basically concentrated in 15 provinces. To be more precise, the majority are gathered in Barcelona (19) and Valencia (43), followed by Marid (5) and Málaga (3). There are regions where no locality has joined the measure, although that could change soon. For example, on the map drawn by Muñoz there is no council of the Basque Country, but the proposal already sounds in Donostia. What exactly does it consist of? The system is basically divided into two phases. Both equally important. The first consists of creating a database: pet owners take them to the veterinarian to have saliva samples taken that will then be included in a census that includes the animal, its data, a contact and the human responsible for caring for it. Normally, participating in the census is mandatory (just like the chipped), so failure to provide a sample of the pet entails fines. In any case, it is not unusual for councils to subsidize all or part of the analysis. Question of censuses… and something else. The genetic registry is an important piece, but it only works if it is accompanied by periodic controls in the parks, streets, gardens… of the cities. The agents are in charge of collecting samples of abandoned poop, detailing where and when they were removed and sending them to specialized laboratories where these depositions are analyzed. The goal: identify your DNA and search for matches with the profiles archived in the first stage. Muñoz explains that between 5 and 20% of the samples end up being discarded because they are contaminated, but in the rest of the cases reliable conclusions are obtained that allow the authorities to identify the pets to whom the excrement belongs and (most importantly) who their owners are. Once “hunted” they face fines that can vary from one location to another but usually range from between 60 and 600 euros. If the analysis of the feces does not yield any match with the registry (that is, the poop belongs to a dog that is not ‘registered’) the laboratory also prepares a report in which it details the data of the animal: color, size, shape, sex… a kind of ‘robot portrait’ that helps the authorities identify it. Lights and shadows. Muñoz’s study confirms that the canine DNA census convinces more and more municipalities, however the system also faces its own challenges. To begin with, and as the journalist acknowledges, whether it works or not depends largely on whether the census is representative and whether excrement collection campaigns are carried out frequently. On occasions the implementation of the system has also been frustrated by changes in local governments. There are also those who question whether it is an effective (or at least profitable) solution to put an end to abandoned poop. In an article on the topicelDiario.es specifically cites Gonzalo Moreno, current president of the General Council of Colleges of the Veterinary Profession. In 2018, before taking office, he prepared a critical report in which he threw out several ideas. The first, the profitability of the measure. Do the results justify the cost of conducting the census and collecting and studying samples? The second is that some of the analyzes may be frustrated by the degradation and contamination of the samples or simply because the animals are not registered. After all, in a town not only ‘signed’ dogs walk. There are also animals that arrive from outside, such as stray dogs or that belong to people passing through. Images | Jay Wennington (Unsplash), Kyleburning (Flickr) and Anna Dudkova (Unsplash) Via | … Read more

After 20 years of works and 4,000 million euros, Asturians demand one last thing for the AVE: traveling with their dog

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“Our dogs are family. They are not an extra suitcase, they are an essential part of the trip. Europe is already ahead of us by allowing dogs of all sizes on trains. Why can’t Renfe be just as modern and empathetic?” With these words and the support of more than 5,000 signatories, Isa Díaz Yusta, who promotes a petition on Change.org, summarizes the feelings of Renfe travelers in the north of the country as stated The New Spain. And the train company does not allow the access of dogs weighing more than 10 kg on the routes that go to Galicia, Asturias or the Basque Country. That impossibility has open a wound in northern Spain. The aforementioned request is not the only one. With almost 5,000 supports, another user of the same platform also has a petition open for Renfe to allow dogs weighing more than 10 kg to travel on these routes. “We can’t always drive or leave them with someone. Many of us need the train to go see family or for work, and leaving our colleagues behind is not an option,” says the promoter on this occasion. Arancha Gómez, again another Change.org user, asks that the possibility of carrying accompanying dogs be expanded on all lines operated by Renfe. It is the same thing that Laura Serena asks for, whose request has already been collected more than 26,000 signatures. I don’t have a driving license, so I depend entirely on public transportation. And, although I have been waiting for a change for years, Renfe only allows traveling with dogs weighing more than 10 kg on four routes. FOUR!!. The rest of the country remains inaccessible for those of us who travel with large dogs. Not without my dog Indeed, as noted in the last petition, Renfe only allows traveling with dogs weighing more than 10 kg on limited routes. Since the petition was launched, Renfe has been expanding the destinations in which you can travel accompanied by large dogs but, for now, the only AVE available are still the following: Madrid-Barcelona Madrid-Zaragoza Madrid-Alicante Madrid-Valencia Madrid-Seville Madrid-Málaga Madrid-Granada However, the company The possibility of traveling with dogs is not enabled between 10 and 40 kg on all high-speed and long-distance lines. On the contrary, dogs of this size and any other can ride on Cercanías trains. If we want to travel with a dog weighing less than 10 kg, Renfe allows us to do so on all AVE, long-distance, AVLO, medium-distance and metric gauge trains. Except in the latter, the pet can travel in a carrier that does not exceed 60x35x35 cm for a surcharge. On those trains that have places specifically reserved for dogs to travel, you can pay 35 euros so that the pet does not travel in the carrier. However, as we say, only on selected routes you can travel with dogs weighing more than 10 kg. In this case, it is mandatory to fill out a document discharging the company’s responsibilities and another to confirm that we are aware of the regulations. The dog will travel in the adjacent seat and this cannot be chosen because there are pre-established places for this purpose. Furthermore, in these cases, the company provides a travel kit and has a series of standards and recommendations that are summarized in this document. In the delivered kit there is a seat cover and a mat to place on the window seat. The dog must be on a leash of a maximum of 1.5 meters and with a muzzle. In all cases, only one pet is allowed per traveler, but in the particular case of dogs weighing more than 10 kg, no more than two pets are allowed per car on the same train. Furthermore, on the Madrid-Málaga and Madrid-Granada corridors, only one pet of this size is allowed per train. Asturian users, as we have seen, complain about this type of restrictions for a line that It opened in 2023 after 20 years of work (13 years late) and a investment of 4,000 million euros. Even on lines that do allow it, some travelers also complain that the purchasing process can be too complicated. They explain in the blog Pipperontour that not all trains on the enabled lines allow traveling with dogs and, furthermore, this possibility only appears to be added in the last step of the purchase process, which makes it difficult to get a ticket. To try to make everything clearer, Renfe has a space where all frequencies can be consulted that allow large dogs but the aforementioned blog states that this list is not always updated. To all of the above we must add that it is no coincidence that some of the popular petitions requested through the Change.org platform come from northern Spain. In one of them it is remembered that Gijón is one of the cities in our country with the most registered dogs and Asturias is the Autonomous Community with the most dogs per inhabitant of our country. Photo | john crozier and Phil Richards In Xataka | “In 1961 it took Bilbao three hours and five minutes. Now it takes three and ten”: Cantabria and Spain’s drama with the train

In Tres Cantos they are analyzing the DNA of uncollected dog poop and fining the owners

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The landscape, the species of trees, the flowers in the flowerbeds, the design of the paths or the games for children may vary, but in the parks of Spain (and many other countries) there are certain “basics” that are not usually missing: there are benches, there are fountains… and there is dog poopan annoying reminder that citizens do not always comply with the obligations that come with having pets. In recent years some city councils have tried to solve it creating DNA bases that allow them to locate the owners of the dogs and punish them if they do not take care of their feces. For a while, receiving one of those fines sounded like a distant threat, but in Spain there are already town councils passing from theory to practice. The last example Tres Cantos leaves it, in Madrid. What has happened? That the Tres Cantos City Council said goodbye to 2025 by activating its machinery to fine people who breaks its regulations. So far nothing out of the ordinary. The curious thing is the offense that is being pursued and above all how the City Council hunts down the offenders. What it has done is use the “canine DNA detection service” to fine those neighbors who ignore the excrement that their pets leave on sidewalks, parks and gardens. The ordinance makes it clear that people who walk pets through the municipality must collect “immediately” (and throw in the trash) the poop they leave in any area where pedestrians pass. Failure to do so is considered an infraction that, according to TeleMadrid specifiescarries fines of several hundred euros: between 300 and 600, depending on whether or not the offender is a repeat offender. Is it something new? Tres Cantos announced a year and a half ago his intention to create a “canine genetic census” to have the municipality’s dogs ‘registered’ and thus be able to identify excrement abandoned in the streets. In 2024 even launched a campaign baptized ‘I’m from Tres Cantos, it’s in my DNA’ in which it asked neighbors to register their pets in the following months. The idea was that people would take their animals to an authorized clinic to perform a simple test (basically taking a saliva sample) that would allow them to be registered. The procedure costs about 40 eurosbut the Consistory recalled that it is mandatory. Failure to do so also carries a penalty. The measure did not remain on paper and throughout the last few months the City Council has intensified their efforts to put it into practice, even with collection days of excrement. The surprise (and this is new) came on December 30, when the local government advertisement that the canine DNA system has already allowed him to identify “several owners” of dogs who do not pick up their pets’ feces. And he warned: “He will be punished” But… Is it that important? Yes it is. And not only because the measure wants to once and for all solve the problem of dog poop in cities. As remember from Tres Cantosthe canine registry is obtained in a “simple and harmless” way for the animal and serves many more purposes than sanctioning. “The genetic census is a reliable tool that protects animals, since it allows them to be located if they are lost, mistreated or abandoned, providing scientific certainty in possible judicial processes, claims and complaints,” claimed in July 2024 the Councilor for Public Health. In fact, the canine genetic census has already helped to resolve cases of puppy abandonment. Does it only happen in Tres Cantos? No. The idea of ​​canine DNA censuses has permeated more municipalities in Spain. In December 2024, Pipper on Tour estimated that 81 locations They already require pet owners to take them to clinics to have blood or saliva samples taken to carry out a census. In recent years the idea has attracted municipalities such as Malaga, Collado Villalba, Santa Eularia, Cornellà either Alcala de Henaresamong others. The latter in fact has a “canine CSI” for offenders who risk fines of between 300 and 3,000 euros. In its first year the program made it possible about 200 disciplinary proceedings, although many were directed at owners who still did not register their pets. In July Santa Eulària celebrated also that canine DNA has reduced fecal alerts by half. Images | Bruce Warrington (Unsplash) and Monika Simeonova (Unsplash) In Xataka | Rats are growing by 300% in some cities around the world. And the problem is that we have no idea how to avoid it.

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