Exactly how do animals affect the quality of life of their human companions? The 7th International Conference on Animals, Health, and Quality of Life set out to explore this question. A major result of this quest was Companion Animals in Human Health, a careful selection of jurored and invited papers from that conference. The articles in this volume address Human Animal Interaction (HAI) according to the elements that define quality of life: physical, mental, emotional, and social health; functional health; and general well-being. Beginning with an overview of human/animal interaction from historical and value perspectives, the authors develop a conceptual framework for HAI research and quality of life measurement. They then go on to explore the psychosocial and physiological impact of HAI. The concluding sections address the role of companion animals in human development and the training and welfare of animals in therapeutic programs. As a state-of-the-science document, Companion Animals in Human Health is a must-read for all health and social science professionals caring for clients who already have companion animals or for clients who might benefit from such interaction. Thus it will be of interest to those in the fields of clinical psychology, cognition, developmental psychology, family studies, gerontology, nursing, patient care, psychology, public health, and sociology.
Everyone who's ever loved an animal companion will find wisdom and solace in this book. The authors share stories drawn from decades of experience leading pet loss groups and practicing family therapy. Their recommendations for taking care of yourself and loved ones during the rough spots of grief will answer all of your important questions and help you feel well-supported. I highly recommend The Pet Loss Companion for companion animal lovers like me. - Ed Sayres, President & CEO of the ASPCA(r) The Pet Loss Companion is a wonderfully reassuring book for anyone who cares about pets. It is a loving book, full of personal and practical details about how to care for oneself after loss. The authors are sensitive pet-lovers, empathic and engaging in this moving and meaningful book. - Monica McGoldrick, MSW, Ph.D. (h.c.), Director, Multicultural Family Institute, and author of You Can Go Home Again If you have ever lost a beloved pet and have wondered if your feelings are normal, this book is a must read for you. Ken and Nancy, in this single book, have captured the emotional roller coaster that most people experience during the end stages of the life of their pet. In addition there are helpful insights into their world as bereavement counselors and how they have helped their patients deal with the experiences of death. I have practiced Veterinary Medicine for over 30 years and have finally found a book that can be given to my grieving owners after such a trauma. - Anthony Miele, DVM, CEO, Veterinary Asset Management, Inc. What a gift Ken and Nancy's book is to those of us who have cherished and lost a pet companion. They get it, and as such, gently and skillfully help to ease the treacherous journey that loss is. This gem explores the terrain of loss and grief and the vast love that surrounds the experience. Readers will be warmed, saddened, and delighted by the examples and tools that are provided to ease the necessary grief process. The experience of reading this little book leaves me feeling much gratitude for my pet companions and these authors who so beautifully convey the huge role they play in our lives. - Lynn Parker, Ph.D., LCSW, Professor, Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center is proud to offer free pet loss support as part of its programmatic efforts, with Nancy Saxton-Lopez at the helm for over 20 years. Together Ken and Nancy continue to provide this valuable service at our center twice monthly and they've expanded their reach by sharing their professional training and direct pet loss counseling expertise with the completion of The Pet Loss Companion. Their compassion for both pets and the people who love them is palpable in this concise, easy-to-read guide which offers understanding, solace, and hope to anyone struggling with the loss of a cherished animal companion, no matter the circumstances. The loss of a companion animal is a unique, yet not unique, grieving process not always well understood by others. This book connects and thereby supports people at a time of what can be isolating grief, providing a life raft or light to navigate the process. It's also a helpful tool-whether as a gift or for personal awareness-for those looking for some guidance in supporting family and friends coping with pet loss. - Heather Cammisa, President & CEO, St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center, Madison, New Jersey
Since companion animals are a significant part of American society, a substantial body of research has been developed to demonstrate how they play a significant role impacting the physical and psychological health of people of all ages. Animal companions also help to drive an economic engine estimated at near forty billion dollars per year for food, toys, veterinary care and other support services and products. The popularity of companion animals has no doubt played an important role in the interest that the general public, and college students in particular have in careers related to companion animal care. The social issues that surround companion animals are complex and continuing to evolve. Questions related to pet overpopulation and animal cruelty are just a couple of the many issues that cut across a range of disciplines and philosophies. Companion Animals in Society combines the current available knowledge on companion animal husbandry with an introduction to these issues and how society is currently coping with them in order to provide the most useful resource in the market today.
Provides a directory of first-aid and emergency procedures for cats and dogs, covering everything from identifying a problem and performing CPR to administering a pill and follow-up care.
"A first-of-its kind, in-depth investigation into how companion animals and their humans have carved out a new type of family - the multi-species family - in which identities like parent, child, grandparent, and sibling transcend species to create new forms of kinship"--
Throughout the world, people spend much of their time with animal companions of various kinds, frequently with cats and dogs. What meanings do we make of these relationships? In the ecocritical collection Reading cats and Dogs, a diverse array of scholars considers the philosophy, literature, and film devoted to human relationships with companion species. In addition to illuminating famous animal stories by Beatrix Potter, Jack London, Italo Svevo, and Michael Ondaatje, readers are introduced to the dog poems of Shuntarō Tanikawa, a Turkish documentary on stray cats as neighborhood companions, and the representation of diverse animal companions in Cameroonian novels. Focusing on “Stray and Feral Companions,” “The Usefulness of Companion Animals,” and “Problematizing Companion Animals,” Reading Cats and Dogs aims both to confirm and topple readers’ assumptions about the fellow travelers with whom we share our lives, our streets and fields, and our planet. Fifteen contributors from various countries reveal the aesthetic, ethical, and psychological complexities of our multispecies relationships, demonstrating the richness of ecocritical animal studies.
In this book, Nik Taylor and Heather Fraser consider how we might better understand human-animal companionship in the context of domestic violence. The authors advocate an intersectional feminist understanding, drawing on a variety of data from numerous projects they have conducted with people, about their companion animals and links between domestic violence and animal abuse, arguing for a new understanding that enables animals to be constituted as victims of domestic violence in their own right. The chapters analyse the mutual, loving connections that can be formed across species, and in households where there is domestic violence. Companion Animals and Domestic Violence also speaks to the potentially soothing, healing and recovery oriented aspects of human-companion animal relationships before, during and after the violence, and will be of interest to various academic disciplines including social work, anthropology, sociology, philosophy, geography, as well as to professionals working in domestic violence or animal welfare service provision.
The Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors has been established for over twenty years and their experience and understanding of this new, and developing, science of ethology is the basis of the book. Experienced animal behaviour counsellors provide the most up-to-date account of the science of animal psychology for all pet owners, while providing a practical approach for all veterinarians who treat small animals. Dogs, cats and rabbits are the animals most commonly treated for behavioural problems and the book focuses on the problems that affect these companion animals. Exploring the psychology of a pet's relationship with its owner, and with each other, leading writers from Sarah Heath and Anne McBride to Inga MacKellar identify the problems all vets will be asked about and provide practical solutions to them. Bringing together a variety of expert opinions and the most up-to-date research The APBC Book of Companion Animal Behaviour will help resolve a cat's anti-social behaviour and explain why a dog acts like its wild wolf ancestors. Groundbreaking essays on problem behaviour look at how learning and emotions governs animal behaviour while outlining the best way to understand: The foundations of canine behaviour How pets and children interact Behaviour problems in domestic rabbits Rage Syndrome in dogs Problems specific to ageing pets. This guide compiles the insights and experience of authors at the forefront of this expanding science to provide expert and professional perspectives that will enhance the relationship between a pet and its owner. Pet behavior, whether dogs, cats or rabbits, is affected by their ethology (the science of animal behavior) while it is also important to understand how learning and emotional response can govern their actions. Animal experts propose solutions to problem behavior in ground-breaking essays, as well as providing guidance on the relationship between pets and children (including the arrival of a new baby), "rage" syndrome in dogs, how to rehabilitate rescue dogs and cats, plus advice on legal and welfare issues. The Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors has been established for almost thirty years to study why pets act as they do. The APBC's experience and understanding of this new, and developing, science of ethology is the basis for this book. Experienced animal behaviour counsellors provide the most up-to-date account of the science of animal psychology in the relationship between a pet and its owner, while providing a practical approach for veterinarians who treat small animals. Dogs, cats and rabbits are the animals most commonly treated for behavioural problems and the book focuses on the problems that affect these companion animals. Exploring the psychology of a pet's relationship with its owner, and with each other, leading writers from Julie Bedford and Anne McBride to Inga MacKellar identify the problems all vets will be asked about and provide practical solutions to them. Groundbreaking essays on problem behaviour look at how learning and emotional response governs animal behaviour while outlining the best way to understand: The foundations of canine behaviour, How pets and children interact, How to rehabilitate rescue dogs and cats, Rage Syndrome in dogs Bringing together a variety of expert opinions and the most up-to-date research The APBC Book of Companion Animal Behaviour will help resolve a cat's anti-social behaviour and explain why a dog acts like its wild wolf ancestors.
This work offers 18 ground-breaking articles, written by an international group of philosophers, on companion animal ethics. It explores the ethical foundations of our relationships with pets, in particular dogs and cats, and specific moral issues, including breeding, reproduction, sterilization, cloning, adoption, feeding, training, working, sexual interactions, longevity, dying, and euthanasia.--
Companion Animal Ethics explores the important ethical questions and problems that arise as a result of humans keeping animals as companions. The first comprehensive book dedicated to ethical and welfare concerns surrounding companion animals Scholarly but still written in an accessible and engaging style Considers the idea of animal companionship and why it should matter ethically Explores problems associated with animals sharing human lifestyles and homes, such as obesity, behavior issues, selective breeding, over-treatment, abandonment, euthanasia and environmental impacts Offers insights into practical ways of improving ethical standards relating to animal companions
