To humans, a whimpering puppy sounds just as sad as a crying baby

The whimpers, whines, meows, and cries of our furry, four-legged friends are just as sad to human ears as the cries from a baby, according to a new study.  Researchers from Aarhus University in collaboration with the University of Oxford, the University of California, Los Angeles, and King’s College of London found that pet owners’ devotion and emotional attachment has increased sensitivity to specific vocalizations that signal pain or sadness.  A whimpering dog has the same effect on pet owners as the sound of a crying baby, …