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Citizen Canine: Our Evolving Relationship With Cats And Dogs (2014)

by David Grimm(Favorite Author)

3.8 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

1610391330 (ISBN13: 9781610391337)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

PublicAffairs

review 1: The premise of this book is interesting, whether animals (ie. dogs and cats) should be considered persons instead of property. The author outlines all the good and bad issues that would arise if our pets were elevated to the same status that we now enjoy. the content, primarily provided by first-person interviews is well balanced regarding the positive and negative depending on what side of the question the reader comes down on. There is also some very interesting side-bar material about the evolution of the animal-human experience.My only real criticism is the way the author continues to fall back on how the legal idea of awarding animals citizenship is similar to the battle that raged over abolition and the fight to provide equality for the blacks during the slave era. T... morehere can be no comparison between the legal issues that arise in order to bring "Rover" to full person-hood and the repercussions of the Dred Scott case as handed down by the Taney Court. Granted, animals are treated cruelly, but I do not see how that level of mistreatment rises to that of the suffering of African-Americans during the time prior to the Civil War. The idea that such situations are similar strikes me as diminishing to the battle for civil rights.All that being said, this book is certainly an enjoyable read for all the animal lovers out there.
review 2: I haven't read a non-fiction book in forever. (This is because I'm lazy and reading fantasy is more fun).This was a great re-introduction to the genre, I found it both touching and thought provoking.Grimm uses just the right mix of history, anecdote, personal narrative and case-law to explore our changing relationship with cats and dogs. He discusses the transition from wild animals to family members, from property to creatures who are legally protected from abuse, from animals to potential citizens. And he does so in way that is well balanced and cognisant of the myriad of issues that such a transition would entail. (None of the mindless PETA-esque diatribe that so often mars discussions around animal rights).Really worth reading. Particularly if some members of your family are furry."This is a story about more than dogs and cats. It's about what it means to be a person and what it means to be valued by society. And ultimately, it's about how the quest for inclusion defines us all, animal and man." less

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