January 13, 2014
Grimm, deputy news editor at Science, investigates the ever-changing roles played by cats and dogs throughout history and travels the U.S. speaking to those on the cutting edge of animal science and welfare. He visits the Washington National Cathedral for the Blessing of the Animals and rides along with a detective in the LAPD’s Animal Cruelty Task Force. At Wolf Park, outside of Lafayette, Ind., Grimm discusses theories of dog domestication; an animal rescue leader recalls her sobering experience in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina; and a biological anthropologist weighs in on canine cognition, noting how understanding the evolution of canine intelligence helps us understand our own. He also attends a Military Working Dog program, checks out an Indianapolis organization responsible for some 200,000 feral city cats, and argues against harmful pit bull stereotypes while attending a Baltimore parade intended to raise awareness of these false reputations. Historically, he traces the 13th-century “downfall of the cat” by Papal Inquisition that ultimately led to the Black Plague, the founding of the ASPCA, and a legal battle to ex-communicate crop-consuming rats in medieval France. Grimm’s most valuable contribution, though, is his reasoned and well-researched discussion of the pet “personhood” movement, particularly its legal implications for veterinarians, scientific research, and agriculture. Agent: Hornfischer Literary Management.
March 1, 2014
Science deputy news editor Grimm (Journalism/Johns Hopkins Univ.) looks at the pros and cons of granting citizenship to our pets--a far-out idea, to be sure, but one gaining traction with some on the fringe of the animal rights movement. At issue is the evolving status of the cats and dogs who have traveled a long road with our species, from camp followers in our hunter-gatherer days to treasured family members today, helping to shape our civilization while being themselves transformed. "Nearly a third of all Americans and half of all singles say that they rely more on their pets than on other people for companionship," writes the author. They fill the void in our lives "created by technology and our disintegrating relationships," and we spent a mind-boggling $55 billion on them last year, up 2.5 times from our expenditure in 2000. This state of affairs is reflected in the growing number of laws protecting animals from abuse and the efforts of animal rights activists to shut down puppy mills, stop the confinement of chickens in factory farms and abolish the use of animals for medical experiments. While some advocate direct action, others support the Animal Defense Fund, which models itself on the NAACP and draws an analogy between our treatment of animals and the treatment of black slaves--a comparison that some may well consider offensive. The ADF is taking legal cases that give them "a shot at chipping away at the property status of animals," and animal rights litigation is becoming a recognized legal specialty taught at leading universities. Grimm also reports the views of opponents of the ADF, who question putting animal abuse on par with child abuse, veterinarians who object to frivolous malpractice suits, and other critics. He does not subscribe to giving animals citizenship, but he does believe "that the quest for inclusion defines us all, animal and man." A challenging notion that fails to adequately address the implicit downgrading of our broader responsibilities as citizens.
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March 15, 2014
Our most common pets-cats and dogs-have made a long journey from wild animals to treasured family members. How did this transition happen? Science magazine editor and journalist Grimm explores the biological changes in cats and dogs as well as human laws and social attitudes in his broad survey of what our companion animals mean to us. Grimm examines how the gray wolf became the dog and the wildcat became the house cat, and how both became a new class of animal: the companion. The legal evolution of cats and dogs from objects of no value to beings on the cusp of personhood is explored, with an in-depth look at the abandoned pets of Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath legislation requiring that pets as well as humans be evacuated from natural disasters. Finally, the ramifications of granting legal rights to companion animals are discussed. Well researched and also very personable, this book will make readers think as they look into the eyes of those furry beings that share their lives.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)
Starred review from April 1, 2014
Many American households have companion dogs and/or cats that are considered family members, even surrogate children. Cat owner Grimm (deputy news editor, Science) explores, through changes in social attitudes and laws, how our furry friends attained such an esteemed status. Citing various historical and legal writings from the Middle Ages through the early 20th century, Grimm traces the evolution of today's pets, from once being considered feral beasts and valueless subjects to family members and quasicitizens. The author's research includes fascinating travels across the country interviewing detectives investigating animal cruelty cases, soldiers training military working dogs, and animal law attorneys, and he also visits a wolf sanctuary. The chapter on the search for pet survivors of Hurricane Katrina is heart-wrenching, yet from this tragedy new rules were created to rescue cats and dogs in natural disasters, exemplifying how attitudes toward them have changed. VERDICT This engrossing, enjoyable, and well-researched title contributes positively to the literature on companion animals and belongs in all libraries.--Eva Lautemann, formerly with Georgia Perimeter Coll. Lib., Clarkston
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