Proceedings of the International Conference on the Human-Companion Animal Bond, held at the University of Pennsylvania, October 5, 6, 7, 1981.

Companion Animal Ethics explores the important ethical questions and problems that arise as a result of humans keeping animals as companions. The first comprehensive book dedicated to ethical and welfare concerns surrounding companion animals Scholarly but still written in an accessible and engaging style Considers the idea of animal companionship and why it should matter ethically Explores problems associated with animals sharing human lifestyles and homes, such as obesity, behavior issues, selective breeding, over-treatment, abandonment, euthanasia and environmental impacts Offers insights into practical ways of improving ethical standards relating to animal companions

Explores our complex relationships with pets.

Animals are important in human psychological and cultural life, and our relationships with other species are psychological and morally complicated. This special issue presents a series of original research articles concerning attitudes towards animals, the ethics of their treatment, the effects of companion animals on human health and psychological well-being, and the role that culture plays in our interactions with other species. The articles illustrate the scope of the new field of human-animal relationships, the variety of research approaches, and the implications of research findings for social policy.

Exactly how do animals affect the quality of life of their human companions? The 7th International Conference on Animals, Health, and Quality of Life set out to explore this question. A major result of this quest was Companion Animals in Human Health, a careful selection of jurored and invited papers from that conference. The articles in this volume address Human Animal Interaction (HAI) according to the elements that define quality of life: physical, mental, emotional, and social health; functional health; and general well-being. Beginning with an overview of human/animal interaction from historical and value perspectives, the authors develop a conceptual framework for HAI research and quality of life measurement. They then go on to explore the psychosocial and physiological impact of HAI. The concluding sections address the role of companion animals in human development and the training and welfare of animals in therapeutic programs. As a state-of-the-science document, Companion Animals in Human Health is a must-read for all health and social science professionals caring for clients who already have companion animals or for clients who might benefit from such interaction. Thus it will be of interest to those in the fields of clinical psychology, cognition, developmental psychology, family studies, gerontology, nursing, patient care, psychology, public health, and sociology.

This work offers 18 ground-breaking articles, written by an international group of philosophers, on companion animal ethics. It explores the ethical foundations of our relationships with pets, in particular dogs and cats, and specific moral issues, including breeding, reproduction, sterilization, cloning, adoption, feeding, training, working, sexual interactions, longevity, dying, and euthanasia.--

Although scholars in the disciplines of law, psychology, philosophy, and sociology have published a considerable number of prescriptive, normative, and theoretical studies of animals in society, Pet Politics presents the first study of the development of companion animal or pet law and policy in Canada and the United States by political scientists. The authors examine how people and governments classify three species of pets or companion animals-cats, dogs, and horses-for various degrees of legal protection. They then detail how interest groups shape the agenda for companion animal legislation and regulation, and the legislative and administrative formulation of anticruelty, kennel licensing, horse slaughter, feral and roaming cat, and breed ban policies. Finally, they examine the enforcement of these laws and policies by agencies and the courts. Using an eclectic mix of original empirical data, original case studies, and interviews-and relying on general theories and research about the policy process and the sociopolitical function of legality-the authors illustrate that pet policy is a unique field of political struggle, a conflict that originates from differing perspectives about whether pets are property or autonomous beings, and clashing norms about the care of animals. The result of the political struggle, the authors argue, is difficulty in the enactment of policies and especially in the implementation and enforcement of laws that might improve the welfare of companion animals.