In a new exhibit titled For the Love of Humans: A History of Dogs at the Museum of Anthropology (Cole Hall, Rm 114), NIU students and staff, as well as other animal-related organizations and businesses, have piece together the history of the relationship between humans and dogs for the public to see.
Tails Humane Society, Raven’s Husky Haven, and more have worked to bring this exhibit to life. There are so many pieces on the domestication and speciation of dogs, the formation of dog breeds, the life of the working dog throughout history, and modern animal abuse practices and the things we can do to help dogs today. Other panels speak of the ways human beings respect and worship dogs in past and present, the co-dependency between humans and dogs, and the amazing abilities of these creatures. There are many models exhibited, such as dog sleds and centuries-old bones of an early dog, an almost complete skeleton.
Tails Humane Society played a prominent role in the creation of this exhibit; representatives volunteered to organize layouts and did research. “. . .Tails was supportive of their (NIU’s) efforts to educate the public about issues related to companion animals,” says NIU Administrator and current president of the Tails Humane Society’s volunteer board of directors, Leslie R. Scarpace.
I have been to this exhibit, walked through the panels and displays, and learned a great deal from them. It was truly amazing to see so many members of our community come together for such a just cause. I implore you to see this exhibit for yourself, for the love of humans and dogs.
