Run, Spot, run : the ethics of keeping pets

Pierce, Jessica 1965- (Author).

Summary: "Through a mix of personal stories, philosophical reflections and scientifically informed analyses of animal behavior and natural history, a bioethicist takes readers on a mindful exploration of the ethics and experiences of pet ownership, and asks if we are doing the right thing, keeping these independent beings locked up, subject to our control."--NoveList.

Record details

ISBN: 9780226209890
ISBN: 022620989X
ISBN: 9780226209920
Physical Description: print
264 pages ; 24 cm
Publisher: Chicago : The University of Chicago Press, 2016.

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 235-254) and index.

Formatted Contents Note:

Thinking about Spot. Awash with pets ; Neighborhood menagerie ; Who are pets? ; Why pets? ; Tainted love -- Living with Spot. Family constellations ; Why not ; Sleeping together ; Stroke me ; Talk talk ; Animal bling ; Butt of the joke ; Planting seeds of empathy ; Pets and our health ; Cat scratch fever ; Pets and their health ; Feeding frenzy ; Who should we feed to our pets? ; Your dog is fat! ; Poop ; Animals bite back ; Pet and planet -- Worrying about Spot. Turn me loose ; A boredom epidemic ; Don't you want me? ; Cruelty, abuse, neglect ; A hidden world of hurt ; Quiz : cruel practices ; The strange world of animal hoarding ; The links ; Heavy petting ; Licensed to kill ; Rage against the dying ; Fatal plus ; Eunuchs and virgins ; Breeding bad ; The shelter industry ; Cradle to grave ; A living industry ; Protect the harvest ; Rent-a-pet ; The biggest loser : exotic pets -- Caring for Spot. What do pets need? ; Enriching animals' lives ; Which animals should be pets? ; Offering better protection ; Speaking for Spot ; So, is pet keeping ethical?