Human animal symbiosis:
Veterinarians: responsible for resorting an animal’s functions and if they can’t, to euthanize them.
Military and police: detecting explosives and narcotics in the field and at borders almost completely relies on the use of dogs and dolphins.
Farmers: throughout history animals have been an integral part of our success in agriculture. In many cultures an ox or other working animal may be an individual’s biggest asset. Poorer farmers can’t afford insurance cover for their most important tool.
The animals: working animals are often prone to injury that can render them useless. In most countries it is up to a police or military dog’s handler whether or not to euthanize them or keep them as pets.
Insurance companies: premiums increase for animals depending on their environment, working animals are often very expensive to insure and subsequently are uncovered.
Disabled: many disabilities rely on the use of helper animals and there is always room to find new disabilities that could benefit.
Prosthetic and orthotic companies: tasked with the job of restoring an animal back to full function after accidents or old age.
Animal trainers: responsible to develop the abilities of different animals for their respective career and retrain after accidents.
Research plan:
Although I am interested in animal abandonment, human animal symbiosis and animal prosthetics, I am choosing to concentrate on the symbiosis but considering the others as possible connected subjects. I first plan on researching the history of working animals and how we have essentially designed them over generations for optimal efficiency; for example dairy cows, chickens and Chihuahuas don’t and have never existed in nature. Next I will research and list all the different applications that the animals are used for with the disabled, in the military, the police and in agriculture. Once I have listed all the current possibilities for working animals I essentially have a list of everything they can do. It will also be important to then look at some of the training techniques and physical requirements to attain these abilities. This data can then help me find a new avenue for a working animal or to discover a need for a product around the training or use of these animals.
I am also interested in looking at symbiosis between a non working pet and its owner. For this a can work closely with my dog and other pets to learn their understanding communicating potential. I will also need to talk to trainers and investigate all the possible techniques; in this area I am mainly interested in dogs. Using this information and what I will learn about working animals I could find a product or system that will allow for better communication between pet and owner, thus optimising the symbiotic relationship.
1 comment:
Elias,
This is very exciting. You have done an excellent job of launching what may be a very fertile and probably underexplored area.
Of course, there is no shortage of pet toys and other accessories for dogs and cats, but these seem to mostly focus on keeping the pet occupied and out of trouble--not actively engaging the animal in a way that takes advantage of their intellectual or emotional capabilities. Treating animals as participants in our society rather than as objects with which we accessorize our wardrobes or home furnishings is both more humane and more useful. I am always annoyed by animal "advocates" who complain about the horses that pull carriages in Central Park. They say that it is cruel to force horses to do this work, but I think the animals consider this their job, for which they are paid in food and lodging. I think that animals who we rely upon for their work probably lead more intense, enjoyable lives than those who are pampered and just sit around sleeping all day. I have known a number or dogs who are employed as guides for blind people. They are always, in my experience, more engaging, energetic and serious. They never seem enslaved or even annoyed about being asked to work.
This is a project for which research will play an important role. There is good and recent information out there about the cognitive abilities of animals. If I were you, I would be starting to learn as much as possible about this work. Let me know how you plan to proceed, and how I can be of assistance as you work to get this great project idea off the ground.
steven
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