The war in Ukraine has strongly affected dogs — even their ears and tails are changing

The full-scale war brought destruction not only to cities and human lives — it also radically changed the lives of animals. Only a portion of owners were able to take their pets with them. As a result, dogs, which were domestic and completely dependent on humans just yesterday, massively became strays, forced to survive in an environment of constant danger, hunger, and explosions.

A team of scientists from Lviv National University and Gdańsk University asked themselves the question: what happens to dogs when war abruptly severs their connection with humans?

Researchers collected data on 763 dogs from nine regions of Ukraine. Information came from shelters, as well as from veterinarians and volunteers who observed animals in relatively safe areas and near the front line.

The work directly in the combat zone was particularly difficult. It was coordinated by zoologist Ihor Dykyi from Ivan Franko Lviv National University. Since 2022, for two years, he served as a volunteer in the Armed Forces of Ukraine — first near Lyman in Donetsk Oblast, and then near Kharkiv.

“Many homeless dogs lived with us in the village of Zarechne. They were frightened, some suffered from concussions. One small dog had a broken paw that healed incorrectly, leaving him permanently lame. Another was blind in one eye, having lost it during an explosion,” recalls Dr. Dykyi. He adds that his comrades fed them all, provided shelter, and offered medical help when possible.

Most of the findings of the study, published in the journal Evolutionary Applications, indicate: dogs on the front line have become more similar to wild species — wolves, coyotes, or dingoes — in an extremely short period.

There are many examples of such transformation: front-line dogs rarely have muzzles that are either too short (like a French Bulldog) or elongated (like a Dachshund). Many have lost excess body mass. Even their ears have changed: erect ears are much more common than floppy ones.

As the authors explain, war acts as a powerful filter, favoring traits that improve survival. On the front line, dogs with signs of a 'wild' phenotype are more likely to survive: erect ears, a straight tail, and less white color in their coat.

Other characteristic features also emerged in conflict zones: there were fewer old, sick, and injured animals. At the same time, dogs began to stay in packs more often.

What surprised the scientists most was the speed of the changes: differences between front-line dogs and other populations became evident just two years after the start of the great war.

Павялічыць

However, the researchers emphasize: this is not about accelerated evolution in the genetic sense. The changes are happening too quickly to be explained by mutations and natural selection at the molecular level. In fact, war creates conditions in which individuals with a specific set of traits survive. For example, a small dog has less chance of stepping on a mine, it is easier for it to hide in a narrow space, and it presents a smaller target for shrapnel.

Despite these 'wild' traits, most dogs still depend on humans for food, supplementing their diet with plants or hunting. Sometimes they survived by feeding on the bodies of the deceased. Many were tamed by Ukrainian soldiers.

However, scientists also recorded the emergence of individuals who have completely stopped depending on humans.

Biologists call this phenomenon feralization — a return to independent existence.

The study of dogs is just one example of how war transforms the environment. The horrors of war, which so strongly affect dogs, are an alarming signal for other animal species that are less mobile and more demanding of their diet and environment.

Wars are not only tragedies for people. They are large-scale ecological disasters, the consequences of which will be felt for many years after the gunfire subsides.

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