Science of Pets

Most people had some kind of pets sometime during their lives. For whatever purpose they might have, pets are obviously an inseparable part of our lives. Therefore, this time, the US News magazine had its cover story about one very special aspect of animals, their emotions. This report presents two different points of view about animal emotions: as usual, one is for and the other is against. Of course, for their part, the nation’s 61 …

…and to communicate have emotions. Communication is the most important thing in any relationship for any animal. Miscommunication will definitely lead to destruction, especially in the survival mode in nature. And before the evolution of spoken language, emotion is definitely the most effective way to communicate. So to me, it not the question of whether or not animals have emotions but how complex their emotions are. Reference: “Animal Emotion” by Laura Tangley. US News, Oct. 30, 2000.