Animals Matter – A Biologist Explains Why We Should Treat Animals With Compassion and Respect
By Marc Bekoff
Summary: Marc Bekoff, a renowned biologist specializing in animal minds and emotions, looks at scientific research, philosophical ideas, and humane values that argue for the ethical and compassionate treatment of animals. Citing the latest scientific studies and tackling controversies, he focuses on the important questions, inviting the reader to participate through “thought experiments” and ideas for action.
Here’s an example of some of the questions he addresses in the book:
• Are some species more valuable or more important than others?
• Do some animals feel pain and suffering and not others?
• Do animals feel emotions?
• Should endangered animals be reintroduced to places where they originally lived?
• Should animals be kept in captivity?
• Are there alternatives to using animals for food, clothing, cosmetic testing, and dissection in the science classroom?
• What can we learn by imagining what it feels like to be a dog or a cat or a mouse or an ant?
• What can we do to make a difference in animals’ quality of life?
Bekoff pleads with us to love, respect and protect all animals as our fellow beings on this planet and not to exploit them in any way that causes their suffering.