Just like us humans, dogs are also struggling with the effects of climate change, and this alarming topic is being studied by researchers.
A recent Harvard University study has shown a link between rising temperatures and an increase in dog bites as we face warmer days and extreme weather events.
The aim of the research was to investigate whether environmental factors affect the frequency of dogs biting humans in order to understand the link between dog bites and environmental factors such as climate change and temperature fluctuations.
These findings are relevant to understanding how dogs are affected by the effects of climate change and how this could impact human and pet safety.
The link between climate and mood swings in dogs
The study identified an influence between higher UV exposure and an increased biting rate of dogs. This finding suggests that environmental factors such as climate change play a significant role in the behavior and relationship of dogs to humans.
According to the researcher, aggression is a common behavior in several species that can mean adaptations to different contexts, including competition for protection, defense of territories, and the like.
While studies have shown that higher temperatures can increase aggression in humans, researchers have observed similar behavioral patterns in other species such as rats, mice and rhesus monkeys.
To examine environmental influences on the daily incidence of dog bites in eight US cities from 2009 to 2018, the researchers analyzed a total of 69,525 reports of people being bitten by dogs.
The researchers hypothesized that increased aggressiveness on days of high UV exposure might be related to increased levels of sex steroids.
This conclusion suggests that hormonal factors may play a role in influencing ultraviolet radiation aggressive behavior in both animals and humans. That means both your pet and you as a human can be stressed on warmer days.