Sato (dog)
Encyclopedia
Sato is a Puerto Rican slang term referring to the feral
dog
s that inhabit its major cities. They are also known as 'Puerto Rican Found Dogs' in the United States. In Puerto Rico's metropolitan areas, satos can be found living in alleyways, under cars, and between refuse cans. Because of satos' out-of-control numbers and people's view of them as a public menace and health hazard, they are often the victims of abuse such as burning and drowning.
While satos do come in a variety of shapes and sizes, there is some uniformity in their appearance and demeanor. They tend to be small to medium sized, with the largest ones weighing about fifty pounds. Their ears are either pointy, as a terrier's are, or similar to a beagle's. They have pronounced snouts and thick, short-haired coats. Satos are highly intelligent, healthy, and loyal, making them excellent nanny or [companion dogs]. Their features result from years of unchecked breeding amongst a variety of mixed breeds, but there is a distinct lack of qualities found among toy breeds. Most satos are the result of breeding from working and hunting dogs. Most satos live to be 10-12 years old, though many live up to 15 years.
The organization Save a Sato Foundation is dedicated to rescuing abused and abandoned satos and finding homes for them. Because of this organization's efforts in placing the dogs and raising awareness about them, satos are becoming more and more popular pets in the United States and have been adopted as far away as Southern France. In December 1999, the foundation arranged for four sato puppies to be sent from Puerto Rico to a humane society in Orlando, Florida which would arrange for them to be adopted.
Feral
A feral organism is one that has changed from being domesticated to being wild or untamed. In the case of plants it is a movement from cultivated to uncultivated or controlled to volunteer. The introduction of feral animals or plants to their non-native regions, like any introduced species, may...
dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
s that inhabit its major cities. They are also known as 'Puerto Rican Found Dogs' in the United States. In Puerto Rico's metropolitan areas, satos can be found living in alleyways, under cars, and between refuse cans. Because of satos' out-of-control numbers and people's view of them as a public menace and health hazard, they are often the victims of abuse such as burning and drowning.
While satos do come in a variety of shapes and sizes, there is some uniformity in their appearance and demeanor. They tend to be small to medium sized, with the largest ones weighing about fifty pounds. Their ears are either pointy, as a terrier's are, or similar to a beagle's. They have pronounced snouts and thick, short-haired coats. Satos are highly intelligent, healthy, and loyal, making them excellent nanny or [companion dogs]. Their features result from years of unchecked breeding amongst a variety of mixed breeds, but there is a distinct lack of qualities found among toy breeds. Most satos are the result of breeding from working and hunting dogs. Most satos live to be 10-12 years old, though many live up to 15 years.
The organization Save a Sato Foundation is dedicated to rescuing abused and abandoned satos and finding homes for them. Because of this organization's efforts in placing the dogs and raising awareness about them, satos are becoming more and more popular pets in the United States and have been adopted as far away as Southern France. In December 1999, the foundation arranged for four sato puppies to be sent from Puerto Rico to a humane society in Orlando, Florida which would arrange for them to be adopted.