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How Science Went to the Dogs (and Cats)

Pets were once dismissed as trivial scientific subjects. Today, companion animal science is hot.

Β© M. Scott Brauer for The New York Times

Max, a 2-year-old German shepherd, Belgian Malinois and husky mix, was photographed in Greenlake Park in Seattle this month. A stray who was rescued in an emaciated condition, Max is a participant in Darwin’s Ark, a community science initiative that investigates animal genetics and behavior.

Did the First Australians Keep Dingoes as Pets?

Burial remains from 800-2,000 years ago hint that the First Australians may have kept the continent’s famous canine species as pets.

Β© Biodiversity Heritage Library

An illustration of several dingoes, from the 1863 book β€œThe Mammals of Australia.” A recent paper suggested that the wild dogs may have been trusted companions of the First Australians.

How Pet Care Became a Big Business

People have grown more attached to their pets β€” and more willing to spend money on them β€” turning animal medicine into a high-tech industry worth billions.

Β© Audra Melton for The New York Times

Heather Massey of Carlton, Ga., with her dog, Lunabear. She is still paying off a bill for scans and care six years after her previous dog, Ladybird, was diagnosed with brain cancer.

Are We Loving Our Pets to Death?

Pet owners are treating their animal charges ever more like humans. But that isn’t good for pets, or for us, many experts argue.

Β© Graham Dickie/The New York Times

The proliferation of dog strollers is one sign of a trend in which pets’ lives have become constrained and dependent on humans.
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