Dr. Chilelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Strays

This article appeared originally on the Puptrait Studio blog.

Recently, I visited Chile. Not on assignment, but rather with my wife on vacation. I had not planned on working or really taking many photos beyond a few snapshots with our tour group. I didn't even bring any serious gear or glass - not even a tripod. I was in full-on vacation mode.

But it didn't take long for me to realize that I was experiencing something important, something that would quickly change how I saw the rest of our trip.

And that of course - if you couldn't guess from the title of this piece - was the abundance of stray dogs in Chile.

They are everywhere.

In fact, an estimated 180,000 stray dogs walk the streets of Santiago. That number doesn't include the city's additional 80,000 dogs that are homed but are allowed by their owners to roam as they please.  

...180,000 stray dogs walk the streets of Santiago

And it should be noted, this isn't a new issue or one ignored by the locals. In fact, Chilean President, Michelle Bachelet, addressed the issue back in 2014 during her State of the Union Address. Announcing a bill of "responsible pet ownership" that would bring a national sterilization program before congress. And, with the issue of strays not isolated to the capitol city, it's easy to understand why.

I mention all that to say this - as an American dog owner what truly shocked me about Chile's culture of strays was not that they existed in such abundance, but rather how healthy the population was in comparison to our own dogs back in the United States.

Now, that's not to say these strays don't have their problems. As one might expect, without proper grooming or veterinary oversight, many of the Chilean strays we met were very much flea ridden and literally mangy. But more often than not they were of a proper weight (if not overweight), well socialized, and very friendly.

...many of the Chilean strays we met were very much flea ridden and literally mangy.

While my job does have me handling new dogs on a regular basis, I'm not generally one for engaging stray dogs, as traditional thinking would suggest that they tend to be sick, unpredictable and dangerous. But the pups I met in Chile made it difficult not to greet them (though admittedly - knowing rabies is virtually nonexistent in Chile may have also helped). Often coming over for much needed scratches or just to say, "Hola".

We found this friendliness to be very consistent. While in Chile, we traveled over 6,000 miles, covering over 2,5000 thousand miles of territory and no matter where we went we were greeted by packs of stray dogs all across the country.

...we played fetch with a dozen dogs in the shadow of a 72 foot tall statue of the Virgin Mary...

In Santiago, we played fetch with a dozen dogs in the shadow of a 72 foot tall statue of the Virgin Mary on top of San Cristóbal Hill.  In Punta Arenas, a southern coastal city residing along the Strait of Magellan, a pair of yellow Labs slept in the revolving door to our 4-star hotel. In Valparaiso, a patchy German Shepherd with heterochromatic eyes, that the locals affectionately dubbed 'David Bowie', walked alongside us for over an hour while we toured the city's impressive collection of vibrant street art. Even while visiting the Atacama Desert, a region elevated to roughly 7,500 ft above sea level at it's lowest point (we visited points as high as 15,500 ft - an elevation roughly twice that of Machu Picchu), a place that is also noted for being the driest and of having the highest solar radiation on Earth, we still met dozens of friendly free range mutts. No matter where we went in Chile we were greeted by friendly strays.

...a place that is also noted for being the driest and of having the highest solar radiation on Earth...

In fact, of the hundreds of dogs I met during my journey across Chile, I only witnessed two behaviors that could be considered moderately aggressive. The first being a mixed pack of German Shepherds, Golden Labrador Retrievers, and Toy Poodles somewhat comically herding a compact Peugeot the wrong way down a one way road. And the second being a surprise encounter with a group of working sheep dogs at their open air farm kennel, who I can only presume mistook me for an escaped member of their herd - and, considering the pounds I packed on during our nationwide culinary tour, I can't blame them for the oversight. 

...I only witnessed two behaviors that could be considered moderately aggressive.

...we should not entirely discredit their culture of leashless, often collarless, free ranging pets.

Now to be clear, I'm not suggesting that Chile has everything figured out. From what I gathered chatting with locals, they appear to have more of a culture of breeding than rescuing and their sterilization rates could use some serious improvement. But that doesn't mean we can't learn anything from their culture of leashless, often collarless, free ranging pets.

Here's the thing - dogs adapt to society. It's what they've been bred to do. Just take for example the dog in Seattle who takes a solo bus ride to visit the dog park or the stray Russian dogs who commute via the subway every morning and evening, often changing lines to get to their destination. Dogs have even been found to automatically mimic our facial expressions. But they can't adapt to what they're never exposed to. 

We have removed the ability of dogs to naturally socialize in any significant way...

In the United States, we are absolutely inundated with what some (ok - me) consider to be nothing short of draconian leash laws. And, in many local municipalities we ban dogs from most stops we make during our day. Sure - we may celebrate the odd pet friendly office that has the "cool" boss who brings their dog to work, or the hip little cafe that allows mutts to sit underfoot at sidewalk seating, we may even bring them to a local dog boutique to pick out their new favorite toy - but beyond that, most owners confine man's best friend to backyards, hurried sniffs around the same block and the occasional joy ride in the car.  

We have removed the ability of dogs to naturally socialize in any significant way, instead forcing them to learn their place and role in the world through a spattering of classes, unstructured dog parks and the questionable, debatably abusive, advice of pop animal behaviorists like the TV's famed "Dog Whisperer", Cesar Millan.  Resulting in a population of animals that are emotionally stunted, that never learn to return home when they do gain access to the outside world, and whom lack the skills needed to communicate with those outside of their immediate circle of puppy play dates or those humans who do not know their owner's preferred commands or gestures - including delivery people, other dogs met during walks, or younger children who arrive years after the dog has claimed the home as their own.  

We allow these sacrifices to the mental well being of our furry friends in the name of public good, cost and convenience. But is there a benefit to these sacrifices?

Yet despite their confined and controlled environments, approximately 4.5 million dog bites occur every year in the United States. 

The breeds keep changing, but somehow the victims stay the same...

We're quick to demonize "inherently dangerous breeds" as responsible for these attacks. But have you ever noticed that the particular breed under fire continues to change? Bully breeds have most recently drawn the ire of the media and legislatures, but in the 90's it was the Rottweilers and back in the 80's it was the German Shepherds. The breeds keep changing, but somehow the victims stay the same - inevitably most are children, with roughly a third of fatal attacks involving victims that were either visiting or living temporarily with the dog's owner when the attack occurred, with roughly another third of attacks occurring just outside the dog's home, and a large portion of remaining attacks occurring near where the dog in question has recently mated.

And, considering there are only an estimated 78 million dogs in the United States, with roughly 1 attack for every 20 dogs, it's difficult to make the case that this policy of isolationism is doing much to protect anyone.

...with roughly 1 attack for every 20 dogs, it's difficult to make the case that this policy of isolationism is doing much to protect anyone.

But those stats aside (of which it should be noted for perspective, of those 4.5 million attacks only 21 were fatal),  let's discuss who is really at risk here - the strays. Approximately 3.9 million dogs enter shelters every year, with roughly twice as many dogs entering shelters as strays than surrendered by owners. Of those dogs entering shelters, it is estimated that 26% are returned to their owners and 35% are adopted.

But you know what happens to the rest of dogs entering shelters?

They are euthanized.

In the United States, it is estimated that we kill roughly 1.2 million dogs every year, most of whom die simply because we lack the space or resources to care for them. 

Now, I'm not in any way suggesting we close down any shelters. Roughly 1.4 million dogs are adopted out of shelters every year and as you might imagine, owned dogs tend to live much longer than stray dogs.

...move towards a rescue culture that extends trap-neuter-return programs to include stray dogs...

But perhaps it's time we take a note from our neighbors far to the South and consider a policy shift, one that is less focused on rounding up and putting every unleashed dog on death row, and move towards a rescue culture that extends trap-neuter-return programs to include stray dogs and encourages all of us to reintegrate man's best friend back into our lives where they belong.

Maybe it's just me, but I think these changes could free local shelters to do more with less, save more innocent lives, and help all of our dogs - stray, owned and every mutt in-between - live happier and better socialized lives. And, if that's the case shouldn't we at least discuss the shift in public policy as a possibility?

Then again, that's just my opinion. Please feel free to voice your own in the comments.  

The images of Chilean strays that you see above will be on display and for sale at "Art for BARCS" , a show opening May 19th, with proceeds to benefit the Baltimore Animal and Rescue Care Shelter.

J.B. Shepard is a dog photographer and advocate.  The Puptrait Studio, is based out of the Baltimore, Maryland area and is available for private dog portrait commissions as well as commercial pet photo assignments. 

Follow J.B. on Instagram @Puptrait