Honoring Dr. Jane Goodall: A Legacy of Compassion, Connection, and Lessons Learned from Dogs
Dr. Jane Goodall is celebrated around the world for her groundbreaking work with chimpanzees and her tireless advocacy for conservation, compassion, and peace. But in a touching revelation, she once shared that her favorite animal was not the chimpanzee — it was the dog.
This insight, shared in the prologue of Dogs Demystified by Marc Bekoff, offers a deeply personal glimpse into the heart of a woman whose life was shaped not only by science, but by the wisdom she first gained from a dog.
As a child growing up in England, Jane met a dog named Rusty who became her best friend for nearly a decade. Rusty didn’t even belong to her family — he lived at a nearby hotel but spent his days with Jane, returning only to eat and sleep. Their bond was profound, and Jane later said she might never have gone to Africa had Rusty still been alive — she wouldn’t bear to leave him.
Rusty wasn’t just a friend. He was her first teacher in nonverbal communication, the emotional complexity of animals, and interspecies connection. He showed her that animals have minds, emotions, and personalities — long before she ever studied chimpanzees.
When Jane began her research in Gombe, Tanzania, she was told by professors at Cambridge that she couldn’t speak of chimpanzees having emotions or personalities — those were traits reserved for humans. But Jane had already learned otherwise. Her bond with Rusty had shown her that animals are sentient beings, long before science was ready to accept it.
Her courage to challenge scientific norms helped redefine how we understand animals today. She paved the way for a more compassionate, respectful view of the creatures we share this planet with — especially dogs.
Dr. Goodall believed dogs are more than pets — they are healers, protectors, and partners. She highlighted their roles in:
- Guiding the blind and assisting the deaf
- Detecting cancer and predicting seizures
- Comforting the sick and supporting autistic children
- Rescuing people in disasters and raising morale in war zones
She also reminded us that dogs give us unconditional love — but that love must be returned with understanding, respect, and care.
Jane challenged dog lovers to ask: What do we give back to dogs? Do we listen to their signals? Respect their needs? Allow them to be dogs — not furry humans dressed in costumes?
She urged us to learn from our dogs, to understand their expressions of joy, fear, confusion, and apology. A true relationship with a dog is built on communication, companionship, and mutual respect.
Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas — known as the Trimates, chosen by anthropologist Louis Leakey to study great apes — were more than scientists. They were women of character, courage, and conviction.
Inspired by their legacy, I named two of the dogs I’ve shared my life with Koko and Digit. While Dr. Goodall didn’t work directly with Koko the gorilla or Digit the chimpanzee, their names — and their stories — became symbols of a movement that I deeply admire. Their names carried the spirit of what these women stood for: empathy, emotional intelligence, and the power of connection across species.
Koko, my dog, had an extraordinary memory. He could recognize and retrieve toys by name, and our bond was built on communication and mutual respect — the very principles these women taught the world. Through the dogs I've had throughout my life, I've experienced firsthand the kind of interspecies relationship Jane Goodall believed in: one where animals were so much more than companions, but teachers.
These women also showed me that being courageous sometimes means questioning the status quo and defending the integrity of our observations, even when they're unpopular — that being “difficult” often just means refusing to accept injustice. And that love — including the kind we share with animals — can be a catalyst for change.
As we say goodbye to Dr. Jane Goodall, let us honor not only her scientific legacy, but also the emotional wisdom that began to take shape through her bond with a dog named Rusty.
I hope that her legacy and spirit continues to guide us toward deeper compassion. Toward better care. Toward a more humane world for all beings.
Rest in peace, Dr. Goodall. Thank you for loving animals — and helping us love them better.
