pet dogs turn into wild dogs.

[CharlesHarris]

I am delighted that the idea was accepted for its survival value as intended.

Dog is much better tasting than monkey!

And last I was told the only monkeys currently living in UK outside of zoos and medical laboratories were serving in Parliament....

[MaryN]

Dogs are pack animals and it is their instinct to band together. If you are the Alpha then they are more likely to remain loyal to you - it's down to you to ensure that. It takes a long time for a dog to go "feral" - they would mostly be just trying to survive by scavenging. Highly unlikely that they would suddenly turn into wolf-like creatures.

[Devonian]

Having done a quick bit of research on this I think MaryN's response is probably closest to what is most likely to happen based on existing evidence of feral dogs that are roaming around cities like Moscow, Serbia, Romania and many of the major third world countries cities.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stray_dogs_in_Moscow

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_dog

Generally stray/feral dogs will see humans as the greater threat to themselves and will therefore avoid contact in times of hardship and if we use consider CH's post, we can see why

There will always be exceptions, but generally as long as you don't corner a dog or threaten them, they will normally leave you alone and instead look towards the rubbish and waste to find a meal.

They are also more likely to turn upon the weakest members of their own packs, though you wouldn't want to be cornered or encounter a pack of feral dogs down a dark alley, especially if you are injured!

[bigpaul]

(29 May 2014, 20:37)Devonian Wrote: Generally stray/feral dogs will see humans as the greater threat to themselves and will therefore avoid contact in times of hardship.

I think this goes for most animals even so called "wild" ones, the exception being the MINK..stay away from them at all costs, they are vicious and unafraid ., I have heard tales of anglers being attacked for their catch

[Mortblanc]

Wikipedia and the world Health Organization have differing views on man's best friend.

Paragraph 2 puts things in better perspective. 55,000 deaths to rabies with three times that many exposures.

Industrialized nation street dogs and 3rd world nation feral dogs are two different versions of man's best friend.

http://www.naiaonline.org/articles/artic...relocation

---

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/07/world/....html?_r=0

Post event any unclaimed dog or any dog left to roam unsupervised should be killed as soon as possible.

[TOF]

It's not so much your own pet pooch that you need to worry about, as everyone elses'. All those statement Staffies, Alsations, Rotties and the little barsteward terrier at no.28 are the ones you need to be concerned with.

Some people do not care suffiently about their animals and discarding them to street life happens already.

There are already packs of dogs roaming our cities, it's simply luck that so far, they have not caused enough of a problem to make the news.

I'm with Mort, any stray (cat or dog) would have a one way ticket to animal heaven. Although we do not have Rabies in this country, there are still other diseases and more importantly parasites for which these animals are vectors as well as the physical attacks and resulting injury.

[bigpaul]

was having a similar conversation with the wife when walking our terrier this morning. as soon as TSHTF and there are loose dogs about I'm getting hold of a lurcher and a spaniel before they go feral.

[Mortblanc]

What do you mean no rabies in GB???

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/articl...-bite.html

Two cases in recent months with one death

The bat bites a couple of dogs and suddenly everything has gone, as you folks say, pear shaped.

[bigpaul]

it is fairly well known that bats carry rabies.

[TOF]

the Daily Fail scraping the bottom of the barrel again.... that chap sadly passed away in 2002! When we have the same Rabies problem among our wildlife as US has, I'll give it some consideration.