A legal scholar and animal-rights expert argues for a practical approach
to using animals respectfully. In this fresh approach to the animal
rights debate, a legal scholar and expert on the humane treatment of
animals argues for a middle ground between the extreme positions that
often receive the most public attention. Professor Favre advocates an
ethic of respectful use of animals, which finds it acceptable for humans
to use animals within limited boundaries. He looks at various
communities where humans and animals interact: homes, entertainment,
commercial farms, local wildlife, and global wildlife. Balancing the
interests of the animal against the interests of the human actor is
considered in detail. The author examines the following questions, among
others: Is it ethically acceptable to shoot your neighbor's dog for
barking hours on end? Is it ethical for a zoo to keep a chimpanzee in an
exhibit? Is it ethical to eat the meat of an animal? Finally, he
discusses how good ethical outcomes can best be transported into the
legal system. The author suggests the creation of a new legal category,
living property, which would enhance the status of animals in the legal
system. This thoughtful, well-argued, and elegantly written book
provides readers with a comprehensive and practical context in which to
consider their personal and social relationships with animals.
