Pet owners usually have no choice but to implant their cats or dogs with microchips to help identify the animals if they get lost or decide to escape. However, one Siberian Husky in Israel did not need the modern technology — he could sing his way home!
The chain of events began about three weeks ago when Israeli police officers stumbled upon a malnourished dog at Tel Sheva, an archaeological site outside of the city of Beersheba in southern Israel. After bringing him to the station and administering some first aid, they looked through their records to see if anybody had reported a missing husky. Sure enough, they found one filed by a Beersheba resident that matched the dog they had found. However, instead of rushing over to the station, the owner asked the officers to help him identify the pooch by playing him the soundtracks to two popular children’s TV programs, “Shemesh” and “Arthur.”
To the astonishment of the police, upon hearing the tune for “Shemesh,” the husky perked up and began “singing” in unison. While it may have sounded more like howling to the bystanders, the owner, who was listening on the phone, instantly recognized the pooch’s lovely voice and rushed over. "I cried the whole way here," the man said while embracing his lost pet. "You poor thing," he said, adding to the officers: "Thank you, thank you so much."
Though this may be the first dog to be identified by its singing, the skill is not uncommon among vocal breeds like huskies and hounds. Experts say the dogs croon for a variety of reasons and believe that the frequency depends on the owner’s reaction. The more enthusiastic he/she is, the more likely the pooch will try to mimic the music. So, be sure to see if you can teach and encourage your dog to sing – in addition to keeping you entertained, the skill may come in handy some day!
Resources: Times of Israel.com
