The Bond: Our Kinship with Animals, Our Call to Defend Them
Wayne Pacelle
Morrow, Apr 5 2011, $26.99
ISBN: 9780061969782

I am biased as a pet lover who found The Bond as a fascinating cautionary call for mankind to better understand its past, present and future link to animals and the need to protect animals from humanity. Divided into seven chapters and an appendix, The Bond is an easy well written read. Wayne Pacelle, the head of The Humane Society of The United States, assumes his audience is intelligent and open minded; as besides a biochemical tie, animals have been pets even in ancient societies and some species were domesticated millennia ago; people refused to leave New Orleans knowing Katrina would be devastating because they could not leave family behind (that family were pets). Anecdotal entries enhance Mr. Pacelle's call to arms as he explains the history of man and animal bonds and how to protect species like the California condor from lead poisoning. Perhaps the most interesting chapter is the last as Mr. Pacelle analyzes opponents of animal protection who argue everything from second amendment rights to human needs. There is also a warning not to fall for "altruistic" groups with positive sounding labels asking for help as some of these are animal abusers. Instead the author provides "Fifty Ways to Help Animals" with contact information.

Harriet Klausner