Evidence of a genetic link between birds and dinosaurs was found only recently so I don't blame anyone for not knowing about it. Anyway, here it is: http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/genetic-sequencing-t-rex-confirms-dinosaurs039-link-birds-16088.html
If true it shows that they were similar animals as are dogs and wolves even humans to lesser primates.
It`s last sentence says that mastadons are closely related to elephants..well duh.
That still takes a tremendous leap of faith to suggest that one species of animal has morphed into another.
On the aside,back when I was in school (70s) anything short of pure Darwinism (natural selection) was considered almost blasphemy.
It wasn`t until the 80s that it became accepted that there simply wasn`t enough time for that to have occurred based on observable and verifiable evidence.
Thus came the theory of the hopeful monster as it has been called,evolution occurring in a dramatic leap via mutation.
It is this that as you are aware is almost always detrimental to the animal it may happen to and also seldom able to be reproduced.
However now that is the standard and any challenge to that is viewed as a similar blasphemy.
Strangely in the move from a slow natural selection form to a rapid "overnight" method the accepted dogma has always maintained that only evolution is allowed to be considered.
If the science that once declared pure Darwinism as the origin of life can be discarded why can not the entire concept of evolution be as well if a truly open mind is being used?