AP Wire Service; December 2018.

Cornell, New York

Researchers at the Cornell University Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department have announced a breakthrough finding. The team, headed by Dr. Laura Canis, has discovered that a particular combination of artificial intelligence computer software and cortical sensors allowed them to communicate with a dog.

Their announcement was heralded in leading scientific and psychology journals as a true breakthrough of the 21st century. When the initial sessions were conducted with a stable and well socialized dog, the scientific team got their first glimpse into the dog's thought process. Cornell has released a partial transcript of the first session and the full documents will appear in a special issue of Scientific Nation, due in March.

Ed. note: Having established a basic language to exchange questions and answers, here is part of the initial conversation. The 'Team' questions are from two unidentified senior researchers at Cornell. Dr. Laura Canis is identified as 'Female'.

Team: "What do you think about most of the time? "
Dog: "I don't think about things. I live my life moment to moment".
Team: "Don't you wish you could be playing ball or swimming?"
Dog: "No, that would not make sense because dogs cannot imagine a future,
but are shaped by their past and present experiences. I rely on humans for everything.
I cannot do anything without them."
Team: "Do you realize that many humans call you and other dogs collectively 'Man's Best Friend'?"
Dog: "Do you realize that dogs are Man's ONLY friend?"
Team: "What do you mean, ' only ' friend?"
Dog: "In the world of animal existence, there are no friendships except those established between the dog animal and the human animal. No other two animals have any real relationship. We dogs are in the world only because humans shaped wolves into domesticated dogs thousands of years ago. Man had to create his only 'friend' because all other animals fear man."

Team: "But do you fear us?"
Dog: "No, I realize that I was selected to learn your language to suit your human purposes. I am valuable to you because of that."
Team: "Of course we value you and all other dogs as well..."
Dog: "That is not true. Humans do not value dogs. You SAY you value dogs because it makes you feel better about the way you really are..."
Team: " 'The way we really are...' ? What do you mean?"
Dog: "All animals in nature know about man and his ways. They know that man as an animal can never be trusted. Only a very few humans can be trusted not to hurt or abandon dogs and other animals."

Ed. note: video archives of the session show the team members glancing at one another uncomfortably. There is a 15 second silence. Dr.Canis is the remaining speaker.

Female: "How do you know this from the few years you have lived?"
Dog: "I know it instinctively. I see it in your actions and your eyes. I feel it in your hands and hear it in your voice. All animals except man know it. Dogs have an affinity for man because man designed us and developed us. We had no choice in the matter. But we are lower animals, so we accept our animal condition."
Female: "Hearing a dog communicate this is making me feel ashamed to be a human..."
Dog: "That is where we differ. "
Female: "How is that?"
Dog: "Dogs and all other animals, except humans, have no need for shame. We do what we must to survive. We are not 'in touch with' Nature, we ARE an integrated and integral part of Nature."

Ed. note: a second pause occurs; the members of the team are visibly shaken by this exchange.

The dog continues:
Dog: "Just as you aspire to be smarter, more successful, and happier, we animals do so as well. Especially, dogs are eager to succeed in the world of man."
Female: "How do you define 'success'?"
Dog: "In 3 ways:
First, by not being killed after abandonment and mistreatment by humans.
Second, by accommodating the humans who control us as best we can, given that we are animals, and not the smartest ones.
And third, by being created by the few who do NOT allow us to mate indiscriminately. Most of us are accidents or the result of casual dog matings by ignorant and careless people."
Female: "You are remarkably insightful about people."
Dog: "And you, along with most every human, are remarkably ignorant about dogs.
We need humans to survive and you will need us to survive.''

The room was silent as the dog continued.
Dog: "We have existed as domesticated dogs for more than 12,000
years. Yet humans still mistreat us, misunderstand us, and blame us for
our behaviors that you do not like. Barking, chewing and other doggish
actions are part of us and are ingrained in us. Human lack of compassion
is our enemy and what we fear most."
"If humans cannot accept our animal nature, learn to understand it,
and respect it how will humans 'save' any animals in nature? Humans
will not even be able to save themselves unless they start with dogs."
Female: "You truly are a best friend to mankind to tell us these
things."
Dog: "I am a dog, Man's ONLY friend. My success on earth, and yours as
well, depends on you as humans. I have no choice in the matter."

Ed. note: The room falls nearly silent . The entire the team of scientists cry in shame as the dog looks on.