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Brings together some of the newest research from a wide variety of disciplines including anthropology, history, psychology, sociology, human and veterinary medicine.
1. Introduction Anthony L. Podberscek, Elizabeth Paul and James Serpell; Part I. History and Culture: 2. The social significance of pet-keeping among Amazonian Indians Philippe Erickson; 3. Motivations for pet-keeping in Ancient Greece and Rome: a preliminary survey Liliane Bodson; 4. Hunting and attachment to dogs in the Pre-modern period Sophia Menache; 5. Children, 'insects' and play in Japan Erick L. Laurent; 6. The horse bar mitzvah: a celebratory exploration of the human-animal bond Norine Dresser; 7. Creatures of the unconscious: companion animals as mediators James Serpell; Part II. The Nature of the Relationship: 8. Companion animals and human health: physical and cardiovascular influences Erika Friedmann, Sue A. Thomas and Tim Eddy; 9. Personality research on pets and their owners: conceptual issues and review Anthony Podberscek and Samuel D. Gosling; 10. Love of pets and love of people Elizabeth Paul; Part III. Pets, Families and Interactions: 11. The influence of current relationships upon pet animal acquisition Rachael M. Harker, Glyn Collis and June McNicholas; 12. Pets in the network of family relationships: an empirical study Sheila Bonas, June McNicholas and Glyn M. Collis; 13. The meaning of companion animals: qualitative analysis of the life histories of elderly cat and dog owners Marie-Jose Enders-Slegers; 14. Human-cat interactions: relationships with, and breed differences between, non-pedigree, Persian and Siamese cats Dennis C. Turner; Part IV. Welfare and Ethics: 15. Secondary victimization in companion animal abuse: the owner's perspective Arnold Arluke; 16. Veterinary dilemmas: ambiguity and ambivalence in human-animal interaction Joanna Swabe; 17. Rethinking bestiality: towards a concept of interspecies sexual assault Piers Beirne.
James Serpell is the Marie A. Moore Professor of Humane Ethics and Animal Welfare at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, where he also directs the Center for the Interaction of Animals & Society. He received his bachelor's degree in Zoology from University College London (UK) in 1974, and his PhD in Animal Behavior from the University of Liverpool (UK) in 1980. He moved to his current position at the University of Pennsylvania in 1993. Dr. Serpell is the current President of the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ). He serves on the editorial boards of most of the major journals on animal welfare, applied animal behavior, and human-animal interactions. His research focuses on the behavior and welfare of companion animals, the development of human attitudes to animals, and the history of human-animal relationships. In addition to publishing more than 70 journal articles and book chapters on these and related topics, he is the author, editor, or co-editor of several books including Animals & Human Society: Changing Perspectives (1994), The Domestic Dog: Its Evolution, Behavior & Interactions with People (1995), In the Company of Animals (1996), and Companion Animals & Us (2000).
' ... a good overview of the relationship between people and pets. As an excellent reference source for the most recent literature on the subject, it invites you to pursue specific interests further.' Animal Welfare ' ... a book which opens up many areas of research and allows professionals from different disciplines to broaden their way of thinking. The book is easy to read and each chapter can be read as a complete entity. I would recommend it for anyone interested in animals and how and why we interact with them.' J. K. Blackshaw 'This is a book I would recommend to anyone wanting an introduction to this subject. It adds to the interest of the book that most chapters are likely to contain something that you will wish you could discuss with the authors in greater detail.' Stephen Blakeway, The Society for Companion Animal Studies Journal '... an all-embracing review of the subject'. Andrew Edney, European Journal of Companion Animal Practice '... a book which opens up many areas of research and allows professionals from different disciplines to broaden their way of thinking. The book is easy to read and each chapter can be read as a complete entity. I would recommend it for anyone interested in animals and how and why we interact with them'. J. K. Blackshaw, Australian Veterinary Journal 'Companion Animals and Us is an excellent introduction to an exciting and productive area of inquiry, replete with fascinating questions and the methodological tools to answer them.' Harold Herzog, Anthrozoos 'The editors have done well with the text ... very readable indeed for those of us absorbed in the subject ... will be required reading for those who wish to be well informed on companion animals and human health ... the whole subject of human/animal relationships could be seen as rather esoteric by some. However, it attracted the attention of complete strangers travelling on the train to London as I read this book. This was not just for the attractive Franz Marc painting on the cover. Andrew T. B. Edney, The European Journal of Companion Animal Practice '... a book which opens up many areas of research and allows professionals from different disciplines to broaden their way of thinking ... easy to read and each chapter can be read as a complete entity. I would recommend if for anyone interested in animals and how and why we interact with them.' J. K. Blackshaw, Australian Veterinary Journal 'This book is very interesting - anybody interested in pets should read it!' Marlies Halder, Alternative to Laboratory Animals 'Some of these essays are brilliant, many are original and creative, and all are informative in one way or another, making this book an insightful and stimulating read.' Stephen H. Webb, Ethics, Place and the Environment
