The term sacred cow finds its origin in the ancient Vedic tradition, dating back to thousands of years. What really prompted these folks to revere and worship the cows? Were they really so stupid as to worship an animal? Are we really that smart now to ridicule their idea? Why didn't they propose to worship any other animal like tiger, dog or monkey. This book delineates various aspects of cow sciences as presented by the voice of an old civilization, Vedas.

This book examines one of the most pressing cultural concerns that surfaced in the last decade - the question of the place and significance of the animal. This collection of essays represents the outcome of various conversations regarding animal studies and shows multidisciplinarity at its very best, namely, a rigorous approach within one discipline in conversation with others around a common theme. The contributors discuss the most relevant disciplines regarding this conversation, namely: philosophy, anthropology, religious studies, theology, history of religions, archaeology and cultural studies. The first section, Thinking about Animals, explores philosophical, anthropological and religious perspectives, raising general questions about the human perception of animals and its crucial cultural significance. The second section explores the intriguing topic of the way animals have been used historically as religious symbols and in religious rituals. The third section re-examines some Christian theological and biblical approaches to animals in the light of current concerns. The final section extends the implications of traditional views about other animals to more specific ethical theories and practices.

Animals are our best friends, and they are one of the best gifts that life has to offer. We need to care for animals, and treat them the way, that we want to be treated, and that is with love, kindness, and respect, because the animals of the world are also our future. This is a rhyming children's book, that will teach young children the importance of caring for animals, and it will show them that an animal is more than just a cute and cuddly friend, because they also need our love and gentle care.

Pure gold and deeply thought-provoking. This is the second generously sized instalment of Dr Jackie Jones-Hunt's paradigm shattering Animal Souls serialized research. The first instalment being the acclaimed Proof Animals Have Souls. These instalments are receiving scores of fantastic reviews from professors, animal charities, celebrities and old and young lay people who feel they are spiritually inclined or simply have an interest in or love of animals or family pet. All readers will have their curiosity satisfied as all want to know where our beloved animal companions go at death and if we too, survive physical death and if we will all be reunited in the end. In this yet again meticulously researched volume we continue to learn that the world's greats from the beginning of time to present day taught and continue to teach the human animal to elevate his/her spirituality to embrace all-inclusive compassion for fellow animals who share this planet with us. Here, we learn what the great teachers of the world had to say about the callously indifferent cruelty humanity inflicts on animals leading to violence, murder and war for humanity. We learn that our actions implicate us in the shared responsibility for the mass-slaughter of animals and most individuals have unknowingly played his/her part in creating the current multi-million dollar animal slaughter industry. One American pre-publication review, highly recommending this serialization, stated all animals will applaud the compassionate world this well-researched work can create. This volume provides an invaluable summary of quotations from the most elevated spiritual teachers and prophets to those who have made and continue to make great contributions to the world. This is a great book to dip into and use as a reference manual for all ages especially those who consider themselves to be environmentally aware and/or spiritual truth-seekers.

The Fourth Seal ...and when I had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say "Come and see," And I looked and behold a running pale dead animal. And the name of he who sat on the animal ...was Death, and Hell followed ...them. And power was given unto them over the four parts of the earth, to kill with the beasts of the earth ...-From the Book of Revelation Animals that have been skinned for their furs are coming back to life and skinning the people wearing their furs! Animals have been hunted and killed for thousands of years. They were part of God's food chain and kept everyone alive. For the last one hundred years, furs have become charmingly fashionable; and now animals are skinned for just their furs. Their bloody remains and bodies are left to rot. Skinz follows the lives and family stories of furry animals that ultimately end up being skinned for their pelts to create coats for undeserving humans. Integrating real facts with their stories, Stevens paints a realistic picture of the torture that the animals experience in the creation of these garments. Now it's the animals' turn to repay mankind ...and they're pissed!

Humans and nonhuman animals engage with each other in a multitude of fascinating ways. They have always done so, motivated by both necessity and choice. Yet, as human population numbers increase and our impact on the planet expands, this engagement takes on new meanings and requires new understanding.In Engaging with Animals: Interpretations of a Shared Existence experts in the field of human-animal studies investigate, from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, the ways in which humans and other animals interact. Grouped into three broad sections, the chapters focus on themes ranging from attitudes, ethics and interactions to history, art and literature, and finally animal welfare outcomes. While offering different interpretations of human-non-human interactions, they share a common goal in attempting to find pathways leading to a mutually beneficial and shared co-existence.

Documentary photographer Lee Craker traveled to northern Thailand to study the plight of the Asian elephant. What he found is an industry fueled by greed and funded by tourism with little regard for the future of this noble animal. He also found dedicated people committed to helping the endangered elephants. This book came to be out of a request from one of Thailand's most prominent elephant activists, Lek Chailert, who when asked what could be done to save the elephants of Thailand, said, "Please educate people." This cry for education was shared by other prominent elephant activists in Thailand who played a large part in the research and and development of this book, I am indebted to John Roberts, Dan Bucknell, Carol Stevenson and many others who are fighting for the elephants in Thailand and around the world.

Humans share the earth with nonhuman animals who are also capable of conscious experience and awareness. Arguing that we should develop an I-thou, not an I-it, relationship with other sentient beings, Donald A. Crosby adds a new perspective to the current debates on human/animal relations and animal rights that of religious naturalism. Religion of Nature holds that the natural world is the only world and that there is no supernatural animus or law behind it. From this vantage point, our fellow thous are entitled to more than merely moral treatment: protection and enhancement of their continuing well-being deserves to be a central focus of "religious" reverence, care, and commitment as well. A set of presumptive natural rights for nonhuman animals is proposed and conflicts in applying these rights are acknowledged and considered. A wide range of situations involving humans and nonhuman animals are discussed, including hunting and fishing; eating and wearing; circuses, rodeos, zoos, and aquariums; scientific experimentation; and the threats of human technology and population growth."

Humans encounter and use animals in a stunning number of ways. The nature of these animals and the justifiability or unjustifiabilitly of human uses of them are the subject matter of this volume. Philosophers have long been intrigued by animal minds and vegetarianism, but only around the last quarter of the twentieth century did a significant philosophical literature begin to be developed on both the scientific study of animals and the ethics of human uses of animals. This literature had a primary focus on discussion of animal psychology, the moral status of animals, the nature and significance of species, and a number of practical problems. This Oxford Handbook is designed to capture the nature of the questions as they stand today and to propose solutions to many of the major problems. Several chapters in this volume explore matters that have never previously been examined by philosophers. The authors of the thirty-five chapters come from a diverse set of philosophical interests in the History of Philosophy, the Philosophy of Mind, the Philosophy of Biology, the Philosophy of Cognitive Science, the Philosophy of Language, Ethical Theory, and Practical Ethics. They explore many theoretical issues about animal minds and an array of practical concerns about animal products, farm animals, hunting, circuses, zoos, the entertainment industry, safety-testing on animals, the status and moral significance of species, environmental ethics, the nature and significance of the minds of animals, and so on. They also investigate what the future may be expected to bring in the way of new scientific developments and new moral problems. This book of original essays is the most comprehensive single volume ever published on animal minds and the ethics of our use of animals.

Living work of art, consumer commodity, scientific hero and environmental menace: the humble goldfish is the ultimate human cultural artefact. A creature of supposedly little memory and short lifespan, it has universal appeal. In ancient China, goldfish were saved from predators in acts of religious reverence and selectively bred for their glittering grace. In the East, they became the subject of exquisite art, regarded as living flowers that moved, while in the West, they became ubiquitous residents of the Victorian parlour. Cheap and eminently available, today they are bred by the millions for the growing domestic pet market, while also proving to be important to laboratory studies of perception, vision and intelligence. In this illuminating homage to the goldfish, Anna Marie Roos challenges the cultural preconceptions of a creature often thought to be common and disposable, as she blends art and science to trace the surprising and intriguing history of this much-loved animal.

"Do to others as you would have them do to you." It's become a common saying. It's the Golden Rule. In this fictional, somewhat comical biography, a veterinarian accidentally finds herself in a position to be amazed by animals' thoughts and how they truly feel about the world around them. Do To Animals will surprise, yet encourage pet owners and non-pet owners alike everywhere to treat animals with respect.

We're finally going to get the bill for the Industrial Age. If the projections are right, it's going to be a big one: the ecological collapse of the planet, says Jeremy Rifkin. At the dawn of the industrial age two hundred years ago, we took a wrong turn when we started living on nature's capital instead of nature's incomes. We started gorging upon resources that took nature millions of years to create. These resources were saved up by nature according to its own plan of functioning. Nature has her own way; she better understands her own affairs than we. We have one planet to live on and all our needs have to be satisfied with whatever is in here. We can not import a thing from other planets for our survival, no matter how much we advertise our dubious moon missions. All we can do is blow up billions and console the taxpayers with few rocks. This senseless exploitation of resources can not go on forever. This cradle to grave economics in which we turn every natural resource into a toxic waste is inherently unsustainable. In nature, there is no such thing as waste. So called waste generated by one living being is effectively utilized by another and so on until nothing is left. This is called the cycle of life. But today our linear system of living has replaced this natural cyclical system. This is where cow comes into picture. Living with cow is living on nature's incomes without depleting its capital resources. In the natural plan of Vedic living, human society depends on cows for its requirements of economic prosperity, food production, soil fertility, nutrition, healthcare, fuel supply, transport, spiritual wellbeing, sustainable development, individual and social peace, higher consciousness, development of human qualities, performance of religious duties, environmental protection, ecological preservation, advancement of art & culture, cottage industry etc. Many of the maladies staring in our face today can be traced to this factor - humanity distancing itself from the timeless culture of cow protection.

Animal death is a complex, uncomfortable, depressing, motivating and sensitive topic. For those scholars participating in Human-Animal Studies, it is - accompanied by the concept of 'life' - the ground upon which their studies commence, whether those studies are historical, archaeological, social, philosophical, or cultural. It is a tough subject to face, but as this volume demonstrates, one at the heart of human-animal relations and human-animal studies scholarship. ... books have power. Words convey moral dilemmas. Human beings are capable of being moral creatures. So it may prove with the present book. Dear reader, be warned. Reading about animal death may prove a life-changing experience. If you do not wish to be exposed to that possibility, read no further ... In the end, by concentrating our attention on death in animals, in so many guises and circumstances, we, the human readers, are brought face to face with the reality of our world. It is a world of pain, fear and enormous stress and cruelty. It is a world that will not change anytime soon into a human community of vegetarians or vegans. But at least books like this are being written for public reflection. From the Foreword by The Hon. Michael Kirby AC CMG

'Born to Fly' is a poignant and heart warming story based on true-life adventures of captive birds being safely released back into nature...blended with a fictional story about a Rainbow Lorikeet named Cherub. It is predominantly a book for all ages, for storytelling and learning is universal. 'Born to Fly' is also a metaphor for us all - to free ourselves to live happy, fulfilling and creative lives...and as we do this we automatically assist others to do the same. It is this inherent wisdom that Cherub and her friends are lovingly and patiently teaching us. As caretakers and guardians of the natural world, our role is to observe and delight in the many wondrous miracles and beauty of nature. It is also to teach each and every one of our children this precious gift, so we can all truly fly free.

Renowned authority Marian Stamp Dawkins' new work presents an illuminating and urgent argument for the need to rethink animal welfare. In the vein of Temple Grandin's work, Dawkins explains that this welfare must be made to work in practice to have any effect, and cannot be tinged by anthropomorphism and claims of animal consciousness, which lack firm empirical evidence and are often freighted with controversy and high emotions. Instead, animal-welfare efforts must focus on science and on fully appreciating the critical role animals play in human welfare. With growing concern over such issues as climate change and food shortages, how we treat those animals on which we depend for survival needs to be put squarely on the public agenda. Dawkins seeks to do this by offering a more complete understanding of how animals help us. In the end, it is human self-interest that will drive changes in our treatment of animals. Taking positions that might surprise and will certainly challenge animal lovers, Dawkins presents a persuasive argument for why animals truly matter.

If you love animals and are dismayed when you see stories of animal abuse and cruelty in the news; if you ever wished you could do something about it, but you just didn't know where to start, this book has you covered. Just 30 seconds a day on the Internet can not only make a difference, but can also change the world. This inspiring, informative and highly useful resource is for novices as well as experienced animal rescuers. Combining case histories with practical tips, this guide demonstrates how to use the Internet to advocate for dogs; from simple clicks to more advanced methods. This guide will show you how just one person can put change in motion. Award-Winning Finalist in the Animals/Pets category of The 2013 USA Best Book Awards, sponsored by USA Book News.

Animals at Work is founded upon a broad and unique variety of empirical research settings - animal sanctuaries, farms, slaughter-houses, veterinary practices and behind the scenes of a natural history documentary film-making team. Hamilton and Taylor apply a breadth of post-structural and post-humanist theories to establish what happens when animal-agents are brought into human networks and spaces of representation, and the artful ways in which they become integral in shared human meaning-making. Interrogating the apparent boundaries of meaning between animals and humans by taking a close-up view of those working with animals in a variety of occupational settings, the book enjoys a rare and original range of empirical research contexts from British dairy farms to the jungles of Borneo.

As the title reflects, this nonfiction book is an expression of thoughts and ideas mirroring the environment and our experiences. Although these thoughts originated in India, they are universal in nature and represent an outpouring of emotions, thoughts, facts, imaginations, and sensitivities at different levels. Bouquet of Brain Waves throws light on universal bonding, the essence that binds us with everything around to make us feel one with matter, animals and people. The author talks about the simplicity of children and education, in contrast to the present complex system that complicates a child's mind, and shows concern for animals in our man-dominated nature. She reflects on the practical importance of English as a global language, yet her imagination longs to surge into space and its celestial bodies to discover the awe-inspiring spirit of the universe. The poetry reaches the practical as well as the most sensitive areas of life, nature, and the absurdities of living, and the attitude of society toward the female (The divine Devi!) is perfectly portrayed in its perverted form. The author does not try to teach, but in the process, the reader invariably realises the hidden sensitivities, blurred values, changed environment, unavoidable practicalities, and the urge of imaginations that complete our learning in life and nature. A retired teacher, Sumathi Kulkarni lives in India. "The unique characteristic of my country is its multiplicity of culture, language, and religion that bonds its people to weave into a spiritually beautiful nation. It is rich in its heritage spread throughout the length and breadth of its land. One life is insufficient to understand its beauty of existence." Publisher's website: http://sbpra.com/SumathiKulkarni

For the first time in history, humans sit unchallenged at the top of the food chain. As we encroach on the wild and a vast wave of extinctions gathers force, how has our relationship with animals changed? In this dazzling essay, Anna Krien investigates the world we have made and the complexity of the choices we face. From pets to the live cattle trade, from apex predators to scientific experiments, Krien shows how we should - and do - treat our fellow creatures. As she delves deeper, she finds that animals can trigger primal emotions in us, which we are often unwilling to acknowledge. This is a clear-eyed meditation on humanity and animality, us and them, that brings out the importance of animals in an unforgettable way. "I am not weighing up whether our treatment of animals is just, because it isn't. That age-old debate is a farce - deep down we all know it. The real question is, just how much of this injustice are we prepared to live with?" - Anna Krien, Us & Them About the Author: Anna Krien's first book, Into the Woods, won the Queensland Premier's Literary Award for Non-Fiction and the Victorian Premier's People's Choice Award. Her writing has been published in the Monthly, the Age, Best Australian Essays, Best Australian Stories and the Big Issue.

Jeremy Rich uses the eccentric life of R. L. Garner (1848-1920) to examine the commercial networks that brought the first apes to America during the Progressive Era, a critical time in the development of ideas about African wildlife, race, and evolution.

Garner was a self-taught zoologist and atheist from southwest Virginia. Starting in 1892, he lived on and off in the French colony of Gabon, studying primates and trying to engage U.S. academics with his theories. Most prominently, Garner claimed that he could teach apes to speak human languages and that he could speak the languages of primates. Garner brought some of the first live primates to America, launching a traveling demonstration in which he claimed to communicate with a chimpanzee named Susie. He was often mocked by the increasingly professionalized scientific community, who were wary of his colorful escapades, such as his ill-fated plan to make a New York City socialite the queen of southern Gabon, and his efforts to convince Thomas Edison to finance him in Africa.

Yet Garner did influence evolutionary debates, and as with many of his era, race dominated his thinking. Garner's arguments--for example, that chimpanzees were more loving than Africans, or that colonialism constituted a threat to the separation of the races--offer a fascinating perspective on the thinking and attitudes of his times. "Missing Links" explores the impact of colonialism on Africans, the complicated politics of buying and selling primates, and the popularization of biological racism.

Know the animals, respect the planet, love thy neighbor.

Rowan Blogg is an Australian veterinarian of the highest distinction and I greatly admire his professionalism, which I observed for years at close range.
In Any Kind of Danger he has extended his work into the environment and moral philosophy by tackling the complex issue of how we exploit animals. In the 19th Century William Wilberforce and other pioneers argued that our treatment of animals is a measure of our humanity. Peter Singer's Animal Liberation (1975) stimulated international interest in the subject. Dr Blogg's book should do the same.

Rowan Blogg examines the role of wildlife on the planet, millions of years before our species became dominant, but how much habitat do we reserve for their natural life? How many species are under threat?

The world's population will stabilise at about nine billion in 2050 - and this raises the fundamental issues of how much land, water and energy we will devote to raising animals for food. Is grazing an efficient or humane way of feeding our species?
Industrial farming - out of sight and out of mind - involves inescapable cruelty. Chickens are raised on an A4 size of smaller 'scratching area', confined in multi-layered cages.
Do animals have a right of access to sunlight and paddock for at least the great part of their lives? How does a cow giving birth cope with a crowded cattle truck?

Do we turn our eyes away from the inevitable suffering involved in animal transport, especially life sheep exports?
There are profound moral lessons to be learned from observing how we treat animals - and yet the issue will not be on the agenda for the next Federal or State elections.

We are in Dr Blogg's debt for this thoughtful, passionate book.
-Barry Jones, AO, FAA, FAHA. FTSE, FASSA
Australian Minister for Science 1983-90

Many people feel strong bonds with nonhuman animals, and these relationships are central to much emerging scholarship in human-animal studies. Yet to study "relationships" is not straightforward; research often focusses on how humans affect animals or vice versa rather than on the relationships themselves. Partly, this is a consequence of the history of disciplinary divisions, particularly between natural and social sciences. In this book, contributors from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds reflect on the methodological challenges they face, and how they go about studying relationships between people and animals. The book provides fascinating insights into how research on human-animal relationships can rise to the challenges of interdisciplinarity, and help us to understand the animals with whom we bond.