The animals among us: the new science of anthrozoology

Description

The bestselling author of Dog Sense and Cat Sense explains why living with animals has always been a fundamental aspect of being human. Pets have never been more popular. Over half of American households share their home with either a cat or a dog, and many contain both. This is a huge change from only a century ago, when the majority of domestic cats and dogs were working animals, keeping rodents at bay, guarding property, herding sheep. Nowadays, most are valued solely for the companionship they provide. As mankind becomes progressively more urban and detached from nature, we seem to be clinging on to the animals that served us well in the past. In The Animals Among Us, anthrozoologist John Bradshaw argues that pet-keeping is nothing less than an intrinsic part of human nature. An affinity for animals drove our evolution and now, without animals around us we risk losing an essential part of ourselves.