Why Animals Matter: The Case for Animal Protection | 
| Authors: Erin E. Williams, Margo Demello
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Category: Book
List Price: $20.00
Buy New: $7.39
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Avg. Customer Rating:  12 reviews
Sales Rank: 231015
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 397
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 8.8 x 6 x 0.9
ISBN: 1591025230
Dewey Decimal Number: 179.3
EAN: 9781591025238
ASIN: 1591025230
Publication Date: August 9, 2007
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Book Description
Our treatment of animals in modern America is full of contradictions. Pets are a beloved feature of most American households, many enjoying the most luxurious food and accessories, and reveling in the love and companionship from their human families. At the same time, animals raised for food or clothing, or used for medical experiments and product testing, often live painful, lonely lives in small cages from birth to death. And wild animals suffer in other ways--losing their lives as their habitats disappear, being hunted for trophies, and finding themselves removed from their homes for the exotic pet trade. Why Animals Matter: The Case for Animal Protection offers a concise yet complete overview of the problems of animal suffering, linking them to larger issues of human and environmental exploitation. Authors Erin E. Williams and Margo DeMello examine industries that exploit animals--meat processing companies and agribusinesses; medical experimentation and cosmetic testing facilities; the entertainment industry (circuses, rodeos, zoos, racing, and film making); the pet industry; the fur and leather industry; and commercial and recreational activities centered on hunting. The authors also consider the adverse environmental effects of animal exploitation from pollution to deforestation and the depletion of biodiversity. In addition, they look at the connections between the poor treatment of animals and human exploitation of immigrants, slaughterhouse and farm workers, as well as the larger issues of globalization, hunger, and the negative consequences for Third World nations. Highly informative yet very reader-friendly, this book not only explores the connections between animal and human suffering, but also integrates solid information with positive case studies of rescued animals and inspiring stories of individual successes.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
Give a copy to everyone you know! September 14, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Our systematic abuse of non-human animals is so shocking and extensive that it is surprising how few people are even unaware of it. That's why this book is so indispensable. With this comprehensive survey of animal exploitation, Margo DeMello (co-author of Stories Rabbits Tell: A Natural and Cultural History of a Misunderstood Creature ) and Erin Williams -- both longtime activists -- seek to lift the veil of ignorance that sustains a cruel status quo. Product testing, breeding, medical experiments, hunting, blood sports, clothing (fur, wool, leather), and entertainment are all covered in heartbreaking detail. But it's the authors' discussion of animals used in food production that truly stands out, introducing readers to practices that some other animal rights books overlook, such as fishing and aquaculture, which they call "underwater factory farming" and observe is the fastest-growing segment of agribusiness.
With prose that is both vivid and insightful, DeMello and Williams invite the reader to reconsider the attitudes many of us hold about animals and the purpose we believe they have for existing. What would our world be like, they ask, if our choices expressed our compassion for the planet and those with whom we share it? "[G]iven what we now know about the lives of animals who die in order to provide us with our food, clothing, and entertainment choices -- the playfulness of pigs, the intelligence of whales, the family values of elephants, and the personal relationships of cows -- it's difficult to see how we can continue to make these personal choices. How do we proceed knowing how much a pig enjoys grunting to her friends, napping in a soft bed, splashing in a pond, and eating apples with the reality of what many female pigs' lives are like: trapped inside warehouses, confined in small stalls on concrete floors, with not a bit of straw to cushion herself, and separated from one's kin -- for her entire life?"
Buoyed with stories of animal survivors and their rescuers, "Why Animals Matter" offers some hope in a world of despair and is a compelling resource that is certain to widen our circle of compassion. Whether you're a long-time animal activist or you're just looking for an outstanding survey of humanity's offenses against our fellow creatures, this is an extremely reader-friendly guide that every compassionate person should read. Give a copy to everyone you know!
Mark Hawthorne, author of
Striking at the Roots: A Practical Guide to Animal Activism
What an eye opener August 31, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I am not an "Animal Rights Activist" but thought I was fairly well informed on animal exploitation issues. How wrong I was. This book grabs you tells you what you probably didn't want to know or think about when it comes to animal treatment behind the scenes but it also tells you in very simple terms how to make better and well informed choices to effect change.
This book obviously envolved hundreds of hours of research and eloquently supports the Authors point of view; "That Animals Matter". I am going to recommend this book to everyone I know.
Enlightening and cogently argued July 17, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I just finished reading this wonderful book and I feel compelled to encourage others to read it as well. Though I wasn't familiar with the authors beforehand, the subject matter is very significant to me and I decided to give it a chance. I'm really very glad I did. This is a very impressive first publication, in my opinion on par with some of the most well-known works on the subject. Although I appreciate and admire the recognized philosophical works concerning our moral responsibilities to animals, the straight-forward, common sense presentation of this book renders the subject matter somehow more tangible and accessible. Though very readable, the authors don't shy away from tackling difficult issues, several of which I haven't seen elucidated elsewhere. To the book's great benefit, one of the authors works for the Humane Society (presumably, the Humane Society of the United States) and undoubtedly brings significant personal knowledge to the table. I hope others choose to read this most enjoyable and important book, and I look forward to future contributions from these authors.
I felt empowered reading it July 6, 2007
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
Why Animals Matter is full of information about the routine, systematic ways that animals are abused at the hands of the meat industry, fur trade, puppy mills, and more -- with a heavy emphasis on factory farms. It delivers an excellent overview of the suffering endured by billions of farm animals each year simply to satisfy the American appetite for cheap eggs, meat, and dairy products. Thanks to the stories of rescued animals, as well as the multitude of simple ways that everyone can help reduce animal suffering, the overall effect is one of inspiration -- it's easy to see that even with easy and enjoyable changes, we can make a huge improvement in the lives of animals.
Why Animals Matter is also ideal for people who are concerned about the environment and social justice. The authors heavily outline the way that factory farms -- and other industries that exploit animals -- devastate the environment and harm people. Overall, it's a compelling and accessible treatment of a critically-important social issue. Highly recommended.
strong case for animal protection July 5, 2007
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
If you love your dog or cat, this book is for you! Why Animals Matter makes a strong case for animal protection and is a wonderful primer for extending our circle of compassion to include all animals.
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