Animal Welfare and Human Values [Paperback]

As the most populous province in Canada, Ontario is a microcosm of the animal welfare issues which beset Western civilization. The authors of this book, chairman and vice-chairman, respectively, of the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, find themselves constantly being made aware of the atrocities committed in the Societys jurisdiction.

They have been, in turn, puzzled, exasperated and horrified at humanitys cruelty to our fellow sentient beings. The issues discussed in this book are the most contentious in animal welfare disputes  animal experimentation, fur-farming and trapping, the use of animals for human entertainment and the conditions under which animals are raised for human consumption. They are complex issues and should be thought about fairly and seriously.

The authors, standing squarely on the side of the animals, suggest community and belonging as concepts through which to understand our relationships to other species. They ground their ideas in Wordsworths primal sympathy and Jungs unconscious identity with the animal realm. The philosophy developed in this book embraces common sense and compromise as the surest paths to the goal of animal welfare. It requires respect and consideration for other species while acknowledging our primary obligations to our fellow humans.

``The authors succeed admirably in their objective of preparing common ground among interests which have often taken extreme positions in the debates surrounding this controversial subject....Thanks to this book we have the opportunity to see how our ethical responsibilities extend beyond humans to a much broader circle.''``With the flair of optimism and a penchant for phrases that invariably bring a smile to a reader's lips [Preece and Chamberlain] suggest a philosophy that embraces common sense and compromise. This is indeed an interesting treatise, written with sanity and hope.... Highly recommended.''``[A]n intelligent, level-headedl“˜