Respecting Animals

May 1, 2018

Favre (law, Michigan State Univ.; Animal Law: Welfare, Interests, and Rights; "Animals as Living Property," The Oxford Handbook of Animal Studies) has authored a number of works about animal welfare and the law, encompassing topics related to companion animals, wildlife, and the treatment of animals in scientific testing. Widely cited on these subjects, he serves on the Advisory Council of the Animal Legal Defense Fund. In this book, Favre explores how humans can respect animals, weighing animals' interests against those of the humans who use them for food, entertainment, companionship, and more. In recognizing the strong views of animal rights advocates and the powerful economic motivations of corporations (e.g., pharmaceutical companies, factory farming), Favre seeks a middle ground, acknowledging that what is ethical to one person will not be ethical for all. For the most part, the author provides arguments for readers' consideration rather than prescriptions for ethical and legal actions. VERDICT With a tone and style more suited to academic audiences, this nuanced, philosophical investigation of human use of animals supplies new ways to think about our relationships with them, even for readers who are well informed about the subject.--Meagan Storey, Virginia Beach

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