As Emory University professor of neuroeconomics Gregory Berns explained in this Sunday’s New York Times, relying on behavioral observations to figure out what dogs are thinking is “a tricky business.”
So, he and a dog trainer taught a dozen dogs how to lie still in an MRI machine while he measured their brain activity. He discovered that dogs’ brains react in a similar way associated with positive emotions in humans.
At first, I thought, “Duh.” I wondered why science feels the need to quantify what we already sense all by ourselves when our dogs (and my dog-cat) act sad or excited or loving toward us. Then I read this:
“The ability to experience positive emotions, like love and attachment, would mean that dogs have a level of sentience comparable to that of a human child. And this ability suggests a rethinking of how we treat dogs.”
This would suggest that, as Berns says, “dogs are people, too” and therefore aren’t property. He adds that “puppy mills, laboratory dogs, and dog racing would be banned for violating the basic right of self-determination of a person.”
Think about it: What if dogs had the same rights as children? Then you wouldn’t be able to tie your dog’s leash to a street sign while you go get your latte, and dog school might be mandated. As a bonus, perhaps dogs could decide if they really want to wear pink sweaters and sit in a purse all morning. I know that my dog-cat would veto that one. I can tell by the look on his face.