Science leaders have reached a critical consensus: “Humans are not the only conscious beings; non human animals, specifically mammals and birds, are indeed conscious, too.” The scientists went as far as to write up what’s called: “The Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness”. It basically declares that this prominent international group of scientists agree that “Convergent evidence indicates that non-human animals have the neuroanatomical, neurochemical, and neurophysiological substrates of conscious states along with the capacity to exhibit intentional behaviours. Consequently, the weight of evidence indicates that humans are not unique in possessing the neurological substrates that generate consciousness. Non-human animals, including all mammals and birds, and many other creatures, including octopuses, also possess these neurological substrates.”

Animals are just like us! We are the same: they also share pain and happiness, they think and worry, find solutions and love their own kind.

Like us, they want to be free!

This is the story of Misha, the Mudhol Hound, who demonstrates a strong opinion!

Misha is a white pup of a special Indian breed, the Mudhol Hound, originally from Bijapur, Karnataka – the former kingdom of the Mughals Emperor. She was about three months old when she came to the clinic as a patient, paralysed by a dog bite. The owner didn’t want her anymore. The treatment and nursing with massages and loving took several months but finally she started to walk.

I liked Misha very much and I planned to take her to my home where there is more outside space and nature. At the shelter we try not to keep too many dogs in the compound if they can have a better life elsewhere. Of course I understood that she would need some time to adjust but I was there to help.

After arriving at my house she became very restless and depressed; she started crying, her eyelids drooped and she looked totally devastated. I tried everything: I talked to her, found a comfortable place for her to lie down, held her in my arms, but nothing worked. I became very worried: “Is she in pain, what about her heart?” The next morning, after a restless sleep next to my bed she started crying again and was even howling until my son came storming out of his room shouting, “What are you doing to that dog?!”

I stood there miserable and not knowing what was wrong, I had never experienced an animal emotion so strong and so devastating! There was nothing else to be done other than return her to the clinic.

Back at the clinic she immediately trotted up to her friends, nuzzled up to them and only then I understood – I had literally broken her heart by taking her away from her friends and the people she loved! I felt like a criminal and an animal abuser. She must have told her friends the story!

Misha has grown up into a beautiful Hound. She is supposed to be a very aggressive species of guard dog but she is actually very gentle to all animals including bugs and worms!!

Is there still anybody out there who thinks that animals have no emotions or opinions? Come and meet Misha!