

Article: SCP-004-IT — Need for Affection

Author: KoddueRaid

Original: SCP-004-IT

Translator: Roberto Turati

SCP-004-IT at the time of recovery.

Item #: SCP-004-IT

Object Class: Euclid Neutralized

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-004-IT is kept in a room furnished with a doghouse at Site Cerere. A human being must be regularly brought into the cell for at least 15 minutes. Access to SCP-004-IT is only allowed with prior approval by the head of research and in his presence. SCP-004-IT must be tied and equipped with a muzzle before every test involving humans, so as to prevent any aggression.

Description: SCP-004-IT is a male, apparently adult Canis lupus familiaris specimen,1 belonging to the Australian Shepherd breed. It has black and tan fur, weighs 28 kg and is 57 cm tall at the withers.

SCP-004-IT needs no sustenance such as food, water or sleep, requiring the mere presence of humans displays of affection instead. Should SCP-004-IT spend too much time in lack of humans, it will begin to show the typical symptoms of aging, as well as severe pain. This may not be reversed, only slowed down.

Recovery: SCP-004-IT was found in extremely bad conditions by volunteers of the National Animal Protection Authority (ENPA) on 06/01/2004 in Formello, in the province of Rome. After being accommodated in a kennel, SCP-004-IT refused the food offered to it for more than a week and responded aggressively to any attempt to tame it. Because of that, its physical conditions rapidly got worse and its body apparently aged by almost one year. After noting the potentially anomalous nature of SCP-004-IT, the president of ENPA contacted the Foundation, which took it into custody.

Addendum 004-IT-A — Test Logs

The following is a list of all the tests run by Dr. Franco Endrizzi Cosimo Piccio to gain the trust of SCP-004-IT and determine its anomalous properties.

004-IT-A n.1

Test: A bowl of dry food for dogs was brought into the containment cell.

Outcome: SCP-004-IT ignored the bowl, which was removed by personnel shortly thereafter.

004-IT-A n.2

Test: A rubber ball was brought into the containment cell.

Outcome: SCP-004-IT ignored the ball, which was removed by personnel shortly thereafter. SCP-004-IT appears to be suffering greatly, but the cause of such illness was not found after an in-depth analysis. In addition, SCP-004-IT can hardly stand and lost at least 3 kg of its initial weight. This is evidently due to the rapid aging in progress, which its body is unable to withstand. The reason why SCP-004-IT refuses to eat food is currently unknown.

004-IT-A n.3

Test: D-3453, a 38-year-old caucasian male, was brought into the containment cell and requested to pet SCP-004-IT.

Outcome: SCP-004-IT starts growling, before attacking D-3453. The test was stopped; D-3453 suffered no serious injuries.

Note by supervisor Sara Angelone: What did you expect? Did you think it would suddenly get meek and start purring? The procedures will be updated accordingly to avoid such accidents in the future.

Update 004-IT 18/01/2004

Since Dr. Endrizzi resigned because of recent family matters, the new tests with SCP-004-IT will be run under Dr. Piccio's supervision.

004-IT-A n.4

Test: D-3789, a 21-year-old caucasian female, was brought into the containment cell and requested to stay close to SCP-004-IT.

Outcome: SCP-004-IT starts growling, but the chain binding it prevents it from attacking the test subject. As soon as D-3789 sits down a few meters away from it, it appears to calm down. 5 minutes later, D-3789 is brought out.

Note by Dr. Piccio: For some reason, the conditions of SCP-004-IT stopped getting worse. The test will be repeated.

004-IT-A n.5

Test: D-3789, a 21-year-old caucasian female, was brought into the containment cell and requested to stay close to SCP-004-IT.

Outcome: Like the above.

Note by Dr. Piccio: Interesting, very interesting. Could human presence actually calm it down and help it somehow?

004-IT-A n.6

Test: D-3789 was brought into the containment cell and requested to stay close to SCP-004-IT and try to pet it afterwards.

Outcome: SCP-004-IT kept calm throughout the duration of the test, but quickly backed away as soon as D-3789 tried to approach it.

Note by Dr. Piccio: Just like I thought. Indeed, SCP-004-IT needs humans, but it's too afraid to trust them. I'd like to enter its cell myself — maybe alongside D-3789, since it already knows her.

004-IT-A n.7

Test: Dr. Piccio and D-3789 were brought into the containment cell and requested to stay next to SCP-004-IT and try to pet it afterwards.

Outcome: SCP-004-IT acted scared and wary, and avoided contact.

Note by Dr. Piccio: First, I have to find a way to gain its trust, and the fact that we chained it like a beast certainly doesn't help.

Update 004-IT 21/01/2004

Given the recent loss of a considerable amount of Class D personnel, after [REDACTED] breached containment, their use is temporarily allowed only for the more needed and important tests. Either way, Dr. Cosimo Piccio - the current 004-IT project head - was allowed to personally carry on the tests related to SCP-004-IT.

004-IT-A n.8

Test: Dr. Piccio was brought into the containment cell with a bowl of dry food for dogs.

Outcome: After waiting for the doctor to step back, SCP-004-IT sniffed the bowl and began eating from it.

Note by Dr. Piccio: So SCP-004-IT actually can eat. That's excellent news. Although it doesn't really need it, this could be a good way to show it we don't want to harm it.

004-IT-A n.9

Test: Dr. Piccio was brought into the containment cell with a bowl of dry food for dogs and one of water.

Outcome: SCP-004-IT both ate and drank.

004-IT-A n.10

Test: Dr. Piccio was brought into the containment cell with a rubber ball.

Outcome: After the doctor threw it the ball, SCP-004-IT approached it slowly, grabbing it and starting to play with it. SCP-004-IT refused to give it back.

Note by Dr. Piccio: I request the muzzle and the chain are removed. It means no harm, it's just scared. It's a dog, we can't keep it in a cage forever.

[APPROVED]

004-IT-A n.11

Test: Dr. Piccio was brought into the containment cell with a rubber toy pig.

Outcome: SCP-004-IT slowly approached the doctor and turned back after grabbing the toy. The doctor left shortly thereafter.

004-IT-A n.15

Test: Dr. Piccio was brought into the containment cell to pet SCP-004-IT.

Outcome: SCP-004-IT stayed still, shaking slightly as soon as the doctor tried to pet it, but without reacting aggressively. The test lasted 10 minutes.

Note by Dr. Piccio: Bingo. Like I said, it's a dog, and the only thing it needs - literally, in this case! - is affection.

004-IT-A n.18

Test: Dr. Piccio was brought into the containment cell.

Outcome: SCP-004-IT approached the doctor with the rubber ball, and they both played with it for several minutes.

004-IT-A n.43

Test: Dr. Piccio was brought into the containment cell.

Outcome: SCP-004-IT quickly approached the doctor, bringing him the ball. The test lasted 20 minutes, during which SCP-004-IT looked unwilling to let the doctor leave.

Note by Dr. Piccio: I think SCP-004-IT is ready to get out of its cell: it needs to get outside and it shows. These animals need to play and relax; the Natural Areas of Site Cerere are a good remedy.

[PENDING APPROVAL]

Addendum 004-IT-B — Incident and Termination

On 22/03/2004, the 004-IT project head Dr. Piccio was hospitalized due to late-stage lung cancer. During this time, SCP-004-IT refused the presence of any other researcher or Class D personnel who tried to enter its containment cell, causing a new anomalous decay of its physical conditions. Given the extreme circumstances, and following several requests by Dr. Piccio, SCP-004-IT was transferred to the hospital where he was being treated.

SCP-004-IT stayed close to the doctor until his death, on 16/07/2004. Despite several attempts by personnel, SCP-004-IT began to get drastically worse again, until the S5 Superintendents opted to have it euthanized.

Footnotes

1. Due to its anomalous properties, the age of SCP-004-IT may be estimated, but not in a reliable way.