War Transformed Ukraine's Dogs

Russia’s invasion has not only inflicted suffering on people; it has also changed the country’s pets. In a study published in December in the journal Evolutionary Applications, researchers reported that exposure to the conflict rapidly transformed former pets into animals resembling wild canids.

The team collected data from 763 dogs across nine regions, working with shelters, veterinarians and volunteers, while frontline data collection was led by Ihor Dykyy, a zoologist who served on the front line for two years and cared for terrified and injured animals.

Mariia Martsiv noted that some owners took their pets, but many were left at train stations or behind in occupied territories. Dogs found on the front line showed consistent physical shifts: fewer extremely short or long snouts, reduced body mass, more pointed ears and less white coloring, and a greater tendency to live in groups.

Ukraine

ukraine, dogs, war, russia, evolutionary applications, wild canids, front line, ihor dykyy, shelters, pointed ears