Animals in Australia: Use and Abuse

This book provides a fascinating insight into how we deal with animals. It shows how the treatment of animals in the western world has evolved over the centuries, focusing on religious, philosophical and scientific influences. It sets out where we are regarding our views of and use of animals today, looking particularly at the conundrums posed by our treatment of animals. How can we use them as companions, yet at the same time abuse them by growing them to be killed and eaten, use them in scientific experiments and kill them when they interfere with development and commerce. Regarding eating animals, there is a detailed and digestible analysis of what a person’s food requirements really are, leading to the conclusion that meat-eating struggles to be justifiable. Drawing on the author’s own personal experiences as a biological scientist, there is an in-depth critique of the use of animals in scientific research, with the conclusion that much of what goes on is hard to justify. The overall conclusion drawn from this wide-ranging survey is that we have made much progress in our interactions with animals of all types and in various circumstances, but have a very long way to go.