Laika as a symbol to unite us in common cause

Deal All

Thank you once again for supporting the idea of a day to remember all the animals who have suffered or died in the cause of human research.

I believe the honor of that day should be given to Laika, because her story has touched so many people already, and she offers a way to unite us in this cause, which is not without its camps and controversy. Perhaps she could bring all the voices together and offer us a symbol through which we might start to chart a way forward to a world where we better cherish all living things.

Here is some more of her story, from Wikipedia:

Vladimir Yazdovsky, one of the Russian space biology scientists, made the final selection of dogs and their designated roles. Laika was to be the "flight dog" – a sacrifice to science on a one-way mission to space. Albina, who had already flown twice on a high-altitude test rocket, was to act as Laika's backup. The third dog, Mushka, was a "control dog" – she was to stay on the ground and be used to test instrumentation and life support.

Before leaving for the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Yazdovsky and Oleg Gazenko, another of the Russian space biology scientists, conducted surgery on the dogs, routing the cables from the transmitters to the sensors that would measure breathing, pulse, and blood pressure.

According to a NASA document, Laika was placed in the capsule of the satellite on 31 October 1957 – three days before the start of the mission. At that time of year, the temperatures at the launch site were extremely low, and a hose connected to a heater was used to keep her container warm. Two assistants were assigned to keep a constant watch on Laika before launch. Just prior to liftoff on 3 November 1957, Laika's fur was sponged in a weak ethanol solution and carefully groomed, while iodine was painted onto the areas where sensors would be placed to monitor her bodily functions.

One of the technicians preparing the capsule before final liftoff states: "After placing Laika in the container and before closing the hatch, we kissed her nose and wished her bon voyage, knowing that she would not survive the flight."

Very Best, Guy