Pick of the Week, Radio 4
The Ray D’Arcy Show, RTÉ Radio 1
Elephants are intelligent, sensitive animals... never forget it.
Pick of the Week on Radio 4, presented by Elizabeth Alker, began with an interview from the Today programme featuring Dr Joyce Poole, who has been studying elephants for over 40 years.
It turns out they have subtle ways of communicating. They may even have names for places and pet names for each other.
Dr Poole talked about when elephants give a contact rumble and a particular elephant answers.
They have a “let’s go” rumble and these calls can transition into a kind of discussion where they seem to be negotiating about a plan of action.
It was amazing but not unsurprising.
“These are very intelligent animals and highly social,” said Dr Poole.
Staying with animals, Ray D’Arcy on RTÉ asked whether you should sleep with your pet.
A friend had a freaky moment one Saturday morning when he awoke to find that the head on the pillow next to his, all tucked up under the duvet and staring at him, was not his wife, but their cat… staring at him.
He didn’t like it.
Ray spoke to Dr Jacqueline Boyd, senior lecturer in animal science at Nottingham Trent University, who has five dogs and two cats.
She said published research suggests that about half of dog and cat caregivers are sleeping with their dogs or cats.
The report suggest the pets are mostly over the covers, but some are under.
There is an issue about cleanliness to consider. Dogs love nothing more than rolling around in fox poo.
“It’s the equivalent of us wearing Chanel No 5. They think it’s amazing... they’re driven to do it,” said Dr Boyd.
Also, a large number of dogs will have faecal bacteria on their paw pads so the advice is to wipe your pets’ feet and change the sheets every three to four days, if you let them on to the bed.
Research suggests that about half of dog and cat caregivers are sleeping with their pets
One caller to the programme said she has four dogs sleeping on her bed.
Another said his hound is a footwarmer – he has a king bed, shared with his wife, three-year-old son and the dog.
And the answer to the question: “Should you sleep with your pet?”
“Yes,” said Dr Boyd, “if you would like to”.
Personally, I’d rather sleep with the elephants.
