We love our dogs

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A study found humans can have more empathy for dogs than their two-legged friends. The research examined whether people were more emotionally disturbed by reports of humans or dogs suffering abuse. Participants in the study were given fictitious news reports about an unprovoked attack “with a baseball bat by an unknown assailant.” Different versions of the report had the victim of the attack as either a one-year-old infant, a 30-year-old man, a puppy or an adult dog. Researchers said study respondents were significantly less distressed when adult humans were victimized, in comparison with human babies, puppies and adult dogs.