The Salish Wooly Dog Became Extinct In 1940, But New Research Suggests The Genetic Remains Of This Canine Can Still Be Found In Some Modern Day Pups

“Survival of the woolly dogs depended on the survival of their caretakers. In addition to disease, expanding colonialism, increased cultural upheaval, displacement of Indigenous Peoples diminished capacity to manage the breed,” wrote the researchers in their study.

The species was thought to be extinct by 1859, but reports of dogs that looked like the Salish woolly dog continued trickling in until the 1940s.

In the early 2000s, a student of anthropology at the University of Victoria, Cecilia Porter, noticed that her dog Maggie bore a strong resemblance to pictures of the Coast Salish dogs.

Now, Porter is a Ph.D. candidate in archaeology, and she believes that genetic elements of the woolly dog have been passed on for generations.

So, while the Salish woolly dog may no longer be in existence, it still lives on in some modern canines, serving as a reminder of one of the culture’s most important practices.

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The Salish Wooly Dog Became Extinct In 1940, But New Research Suggests The Genetic Remains Of This Canine Can Still Be Found In Some Modern Day Pups

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