Crimeans explained how dogs feel the approach of trouble

The story of the dogs Martha and Bagheera, who during the October downpours in the Blue Bay near Yalta raised the alarm and helped the owner warn neighbors about the flood, has again sparked talk about what "dogs feel." The researchers explain the unusual behavior of animals with a keen sense of smell, hearing and sensitivity to changes around, but emphasize that it cannot be considered an accurate forecast.

In October, heavy rains hit the southern coast of Crimea. Within 39 hours, several monthly rainfall rates fell on Ai-Petri, flooded Yalta and the surrounding area. In the Blue Bay, shepherd Martha and hunting dog Bagheera howled, and their owner managed to drive the car away and warn the neighbors.

Possibilities of dog smell are studied in medicine. Oncologist Vadim Pokrovsky explained that tumor cells produce specific substances that can be released in urine, sweat or exhaled air. One medical program reported that specially trained dogs identified people with cancer with an accuracy of 93%.

However, Pokrovsky clarified that this is not a full-fledged method of early diagnosis: a characteristic smell can appear when the tumor has already reached a certain size. You cannot rely on a dog instead of a doctor.

A study conducted on the basis of the canine center of St. Petersburg State Agrarian University showed that two Malinois in nine months managed to train to recognize urine samples of people with prostate cancer. At the final stage, the reliability exceeded 90%, and false signals were extremely rare.

Possibilities of dogs as biosensors are also considered in the review of the journal of the Institute of Information Transmission Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, but it is about the prospects, not about the ready-made diagnostic method.

Crimean cynologist and dog behavior specialist Anna Timofeeva noted that animals well notice changes in human behavior: tension, changes in voice, fuss and failure of the usual routine. Such attention to humans is associated with the social intelligence of dogs and can seem like a foreboding.

With natural disasters, the situation is less certain. Scientists of the Institute of the Earth's crust SB RAS studied 3012 eyewitness questionnaires of the Baikal earthquake of 2020. 1,169 reports, or 42.71%, reported animal behavior.

Among pets, dogs were most often mentioned: eyewitnesses noted unusual reactions several hours and even minutes before tremors. Researchers believe these observations are significant, but not evidence that animals can predict earthquakes.

Professor of the Don State Technical University Alexei Ermakov reported that unusual behavior of animals before earthquakes is recorded at a distance of up to 500 kilometers from the epicenter. Possible reasons he called the emission of gases, acoustic signals, vibrations caused by microcracks, and electromagnetic radiation.

Sergey Shalimov, a leading researcher at the Institute of Earth Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, stressed that animals can react to changes in nature, but it is still impossible to use their behavior to predict earthquakes.

Crimean weather extremes – from drought to downpours to storms – make the October case particularly memorable. But scientists advise to perceive the sudden anxiety of the pet only as a reason to pay more attention to the situation, and not as a ready-made warning. If there are concerns for health, you need to consult a doctor, and if there is a threat of the elements, follow the reports of meteorologists and rescuers.