On 22 August 2022, the research team led by Dr. Kaori Murata, Associate Professor Miho Nagasawa, Professor Takefumi Kikusui, and Professor Kazutaka Mogi of the Department of Animal Science and Biotechnogy, Azabu University, has attracted worldwide attention with the results of their joint research with Jichi Medical University and Keio University.

The results of this study were reported on international scientific journal Current Biology and reported worldwide. You can imagine a pet dog crying at the first reunion with its owner in a long time. When a pet is reunited with its owner after separation, the volume of tears increases due to oxytocin (also known as the “happy hormone”), a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland. It is the same state as crying with joy in humans. The same thing happens between human parents and their children. 

It has been scientifically proven that dogs increase their tear volume due to changes in their emotions and their ability to communicate with humans through eye contact! The research team also demonstrated that the dog’s teary eyes function in such a way as to trigger protective and nurturing behavior from humans.

Dogs have evolved to coexist with humans since the far distant past. They do not have the same language as humans, but they have been building a “bond” with humans in their own unique way.

Today, you can see all kinds of scenes in videos: dogs and cats worrying about their sick or injured owners, dogs jumping up and down on their owners because they are so happy to see them again, animals cuddling up to watch over small children, and so on. You yourself are also secreting oxytocin, which brings about a sense of happy feelings when you see such scenes on video and feel moved and relaxed.

“Change Human Society, Save Dogs and Cats”