Making a Stand for Animals

Engaging and thought-provoking, this book examines how humans see and treat other animals and argues that we should extend equal consideration and respect to all beings, human and nonhuman alike.

Our world is plighted by ‘isms’ – racism, sexism and ageism to name a few – but we may have overlooked a very important one: speciesism. Speciesism is a form of discrimination against those who don’t belong to a certain species and it is a concept which raises controversial questions over humanity’s complicated and often controversial relationship with other animals. It drives us to see non-human animals as objects, rather than individuals with their own interests and with the ability to feel and suffer. Our feelings of superiority have empowered us to feel entitled to own animals as pets, to eat them, to use them for entertainment and we have created an environment where cruel treatment is a common occurrence. This book questions all of the assumptions speciesism is based upon. Thinking about how animals are used as well as the suffering of wild animals, and what the future may be for all beings, this book advocates for society to seriously take into account the interests of all animals.

For all who care about animals, or simply how to make the world a better place, this book is essential reading.