num_pages: 336
description: Cats and dogs were once wild animals. Today they are family members and surrogate children. A little over a century ago pets didn't warrant the meager legal status of property. Now they have more rights and protections than any other animal in the country. Some say they're even on the verge of becoming legal persons.How did we get hereand what happens next?In this fascinating exploration of the changing status of dogs and cats in society pet lover and award-winning journalist David Grimm traces the rich and surprising history of our favorite companion animals from their wild origins to their dark days in the middle ages to their current standing as the most valued animals on Earth. As he travels across the countryriding along with Los Angeles detectives as they investigate animal cruelty cases touring the devastation of New Orleans as he searches for the animal survivors of Hurricane Katrina and coming face to face with wolves and feral catsGrimm explores the changing social attitudes that have transformed pets into family members and the remarkable laws and court cases that have elevated them to quasi citizens.The journey to citizenship isn't a smooth one however. As Grimm finds there's plenty of opposition to the rising status of cats and dogs. From scientists and farmers worried that our affection for pets could spill over to lab rats and livestock to philosophers who say the only way to save society is to wipe cats and dogs from the face of the earth the battle lines are being drawn. We are entering a new age of pets-one that will not only fundamentally change our relationship with these animals but transform society itself.For pet lovers or anyone interested in how we decide who gets the coveted status of person Citizen Canine is a must read. It is a pet book like no other.
language: English
title: Citizen Canine: Our Evolving Relationship with Cats and Dogs
publisher: PublicAffairs