‼️ In danger
Learn how microplastics enter your pet's body, whether dogs can sense danger and how a breeding farm was shut down.
👋 Hi, and welcome back to my free newsletter where I share hand-selected dog research, news, and tips every week.
In this week's edition, you’ll learn how microplastics enter your pet’s body, whether dogs can sense danger and how a breeding farm was shut down.
Enjoy reading! ✨
📑 STUDY
Microplastics in food
A new study has revealed that microplastics are present in more than three-quarters of pet food products tested.
The research, carried out by the Universities of Sussex and Exeter, detected microplastics in 16 of the 19 pet food brands examined, including several “very well-known ones”.
The findings showed that lower-cost “value range” products for dogs, cats, and wild animals contained higher levels of microplastics compared with more expensive alternatives.
Microplastics are extremely small plastic fragments, usually measuring less than 5mm in size.
Previous research has indicated that microplastics may negatively affect both animal and human health in various ways, although their precise effects remain difficult to determine and further investigation is required.
The Sussex and Exeter researchers noted that plastic contamination in pet food could have possible health consequences, though this was not the primary focus of their study.
The study found that while dry pet food contained greater concentrations of microplastics, wet food may result in a higher daily intake because pets must consume larger quantities of it to satisfy their energy needs.
Researchers are calling for new government regulations requiring processed food manufacturers to test for microplastic contamination, similar to existing rules designed to prevent chemical contamination.
Dr James Cooper, from the Food Standards Agency, said the government continues to monitor and assess emerging data regarding microplastics in food and feed.
“Based on current information, the FSA considers it unlikely that the presence of microplastics in food or pet food would cause harm, though this will be kept under review as new evidence becomes available.
“Microplastics are not intentionally added to food. They occur as a result of plastics being fragmented by natural processes and can enter the food chain through uptake by animals, plants, or from food contact materials.”
“Our results are a reminder that our pets are exposed to the same chemical pollutants as ourselves,” University of Exeter Prof of Ecotoxicology Tamara Galloway said.
“Pets may be inadvertently spreading plastic pollution through their food and faeces, affecting wildlife and the wider environment,” Fiona Mathews, Prof of Environmental Biology at the University of Sussex, added.
The researchers said it remains uncertain exactly where the contamination originates.
“Further research is now needed to find out whether ingredient quality, packaging types, or processing methods, are the main contributors to the problem,” they added.
A spokesperson for UK Pet Food stated that its members’ products meet all relevant regulations and food safety requirements and that pet owners can continue using commercially prepared pet food confidently.
“Microplastics are a wider environmental issue and are found in many aspects of everyday life, including in food, drinking water and air.
“On behalf of our industry, UK Pet Food continues to engage with regulators, scientists, and colleagues in our sector and beyond to ensure new research is carefully considered as scientific understanding develops.”
Alison Thomas, head of veterinary standards at Blue Cross, highlighted that pets may encounter microplastics from a variety of sources.
“It is likely there is a risk of exposure to pets through the use of plastic bowls, water from plastic bottles, plastic toys and food from plastic packaging to name a few.
“However, we don’t have any detail on where the greatest risks of exposure are and what impact that will have on a pet’s health during their lifespan.”
🧠 BEHAVIOR
In danger?
Social media is filled with dramatic videos showing dogs seemingly saving humans from danger.
Whether they involve a pet warning its owner before an accident, detecting a medical emergency, or acting strangely before a natural disaster, these stories often suggest that dogs possess a mysterious “sixth sense.” But are these abilities truly supernatural, or can they be explained by science?
Many viral rescue videos attract millions of views, but not all of them are authentic. Some are carefully edited, staged, or even generated using artificial intelligence.
Even genuine incidents can be misunderstood because of a psychological phenomenon known as confirmation bias: people tend to remember moments when a dog’s unusual behavior appears to predict an event, while overlooking the countless times the animal behaved the same way and nothing happened.
The emotional connection between humans and their pets also strengthens the belief that dogs possess special, almost magical abilities. In reality, dogs are remarkable not because they can see the future, but because their senses greatly exceed our own.
A dog’s hearing allows it to detect frequencies humans cannot perceive. They are also sensitive to subtle vibrations, shifts in air pressure, and changes in weather conditions. Their sense of smell is especially powerful, estimated to be between 10,000 and 100,000 times more sensitive than that of humans.
Scientific research has demonstrated that dogs can detect extremely small biological changes in the human body. Studies involving epilepsy, diabetes, and cancer indicate that dogs can identify changes in body chemistry through sweat, breath, and other chemical signals. They are also highly skilled at noticing changes in their owners’ behavior, including differences in posture, muscle tension, breathing patterns, and stress-related odors.
A study conducted by Neil Powell at Queen’s University Belfast found that 19 family dogs reacted differently to sweat samples taken from epilepsy patients shortly before a seizure compared with control samples, suggesting that dogs can recognize chemical changes associated with an approaching seizure.
The abilities of medical assistance dogs are not based on supernatural instincts. Instead, they rely on their exceptional sensory systems to detect physiological clues such as changes in heart rate, breathing, stress hormones, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chemical molecules that can reveal information about a person’s health.
Psychologist Stanley Coren of the University of British Columbia, a leading researcher in canine intelligence, developed the Stanley Coren Index to compare the intelligence of different dog breeds.
His research suggests that an average dog can understand around 165 words, while exceptionally intelligent dogs may comprehend up to 250 words, a level comparable to the mental abilities of a two-and-a-half-year-old child.
According to Coren, many stories about dogs predicting disasters can be explained by their heightened senses rather than any paranormal ability. For example, dogs may hear the faint sounds of rocks shifting before an earthquake, noises that are completely beyond human hearing.
They may also detect subtle changes in their surroundings, including heat variations, tiny movements, and vibrations through highly sensitive receptors in their paws. This sensitivity may explain why a dog becomes anxious before a bridge begins to shake or a vehicle loses traction on a slippery road.
What humans describe as a “sixth sense” is therefore more accurately understood as a biological advantage. Dogs often react to warning signals that already exist in the environment but remain undetectable to people.
This heightened awareness is not unique to dogs. Research led by Martin Wikelski at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior monitored cows, sheep, and dogs in Italy using sensors and recorded increased activity before several earthquakes, particularly among animals kept in barns.
Scientists believe these animals may be responding to micro-vibrations or electrical changes within the Earth’s crust. However, this behavior does not mean they can reliably predict disasters. It represents a reaction to physical signals rather than a mysterious premonition.
Wikelski remains cautious about claims that dogs can foresee events such as car accidents. While they may respond to an owner’s fear or nervousness before a dangerous situation occurs, reliably predicting an accident is unlikely.
Researchers emphasize the importance of scientific evidence to distinguish genuine animal abilities from myths. Anecdotal stories must be tested using objective methods, such as monitoring animals with sensors, as was done in studies of earthquakes and volcanic activity.
Ultimately, most examples of a dog’s supposed sixth sense can be explained by coincidence, hindsight, or the animal’s extraordinary ability to detect real environmental cues. Dogs may notice unusual sounds, the smell of smoke, the screech of tires, or subtle signs of human anxiety moments before people become aware of them.
When a dog responds with behaviors such as whining, panting, or trying to alert its owner, humans may interpret it as a prediction of the future. In most cases, however, the dog is not seeing what lies ahead; it is simply sensing what humans have not yet noticed.
📰 NEWS
Ridglan farms
A Wisconsin beagle breeding and research center that had become a major target of animal rights demonstrations is set to close, with a Florida-based rescue organization taking responsibility for the dogs that remain there.
“Not one dog will remain,” said Lauree Simmons, founder of Big Dog Ranch Rescue, during a press conference on Monday announcing the closure. “No more breeding, no more testing, no more anything.”
Animal advocacy groups, including the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), praised the announcement as a significant development in the movement to eliminate the use of animals in scientific research.
“This victory is the culmination of years of pressure from Peta and other animal protection organizations … who challenged a system that breeds dogs and other animals only to be confined, mutilated, poisoned, and killed in laboratories,” the organization said in a statement.
“Peta will build on this momentum by continuing to work to end the use of dogs, primates, and other animals in experiments altogether and replace these cruel, scientifically flawed practices with cutting-edge, superior methods that offer real promise for treatments and cures.”
The Ridglan Farms facility faced heightened scrutiny in March and April when activists staged protests aimed at rescuing the beagles housed there. In April, roughly 1,000 demonstrators participated in another attempt to remove dogs from the facility, leading to confrontations with law enforcement and 29 arrests, according to the Dane County Sheriff’s Department.
“Before the open rescue, activists called upon law enforcement, prosecutors, the governor [of Wisconsin, Tony Evers], humane officers, licensing boards, and judges to protect the dogs from Ridglan’s established, lengthy record of cruelty – without success,” said Chris Carraway, staff attorney with the Animal Activist Legal Defense Project at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.
Following the April demonstrations, Big Dog Ranch Rescue and the Center for a Humane Economy announced they had negotiated a deal with Ridglan Farms to purchase 1,500 of the approximately 2,000 beagles at the facility for an undisclosed amount.
Animal rights lawyers later pursued a court order seeking protections for the approximately 500 dogs that remained at the site.
In October, Ridglan Farms reached a settlement with a special prosecutor regarding criminal animal abuse allegations. The agreement required the facility to give up its license to breed and sell dogs, although it did not mandate changes to the conditions or treatment of the beagles still housed there.
Ridglan Farms has denied allegations of animal mistreatment.
On Monday, Big Dog Ranch Rescue announced a second agreement with the facility that will lead to its permanent shutdown and the transfer of the remaining beagles into the rescue organization’s care.
According to Big Dog Ranch Rescue, some of the dogs will be placed with partner rescue organizations, while others will be relocated to its campuses in Florida and Alabama. There, the beagles will undergo spaying or neutering before being made available for adoption.
Ridglan Farms stated that the dogs being relocated are “happy, healthy animals” and that records from state and federal inspections provide “extensive” documentation of their condition.
“We hope these dogs will continue to flourish in their new homes,” Ridglan Farms said. The statement said that the company hopes the “years-long harassment campaign targeting the research facility’s owners, staff and neighbors comes to an end”.