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.

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.