The Bond: Our Kinship with Animals, Our Call to Defend Them

The author of THE BOND: OUR KINSHIP WITH ANIMALS, OUR CALL TO DEFEND THEM is Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). If you've ever checked his articles on [...] or on his Facebook page, you already know about his passion for animal issues. His concerns on the Internet are obvious, too, in this book with its theme of human responsibility to animals.THE BOND begins with description of the bond we have had with animals through the ages. From there, Pacelle covers so much, but always there is this: because of our bond with animals, we have a responsibility to protect them.As anyone who owns a dog or cat knows, animals have feelings, they can be happy and sad. But through the years, says Pacelle, many humans have not believed that and so have justified their mistreatment of animals. So he devotes part of his book to showing us proof that animals do have feelings. And if we know they have feelings, he says, we know that animals aren't just things, and we have a responsibility to protect these defenseless creatures.That goes for all animals, Pacelle says. While many of us think of HSUS as advocates for dogs and cats, in reality, HSUS is just as concerned about other animals, such as chickens, turkeys, cows, and pigs, animals that are big business when they exist for human consumption.Through his first-hand experiences with these animals' circumstances, Pacelle describes the horrid conditions in which they live and die. The point of these stories that are so difficult to read is, we have a bond with these animals, too, and so a responsibility to know they do not live in misery. This is regardless of whether we eat eggs or meat.Of course, it's easiest for us to see and feel our bond with our pets. Although Pacelle doesn't have to convince us of that, he does describe the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when so many people were forced to leave their pets behind when they left home for shelter. Because of their bond with these animals, some people refused to leave their homes without their pets, others went to great lengths to locate their pets afterward. Therefore, government has recognized our bond with our pets and now is acting on the necessity for disaster preparedness in the future to include these animals.Subsequent chapters cover examples of horrible pet abuse we probably were not aware of, abuse our own pets may have suffered before they came to us. The most surprising to me was Pacelle's indictment of the American Kennel Club (AKC). They seem more interested in the money they get when they grant AKC certification to puppies than in knowing how those puppies are living and whether they are healthy. So a puppy mill can sell a puppy with AKC certification, and that doesn't mean anything other than AKC knows the lineage is "pure," i.e., the dogs are all of the same breed. Of course, that means there's probably been some inbreeding and, therefore, horrible genetic problems exist and are perpetuated. The unsuspecting buyer doesn't know that their puppy came from a puppy mill. Also, because AKC makes money certifying these puppies, AKC refuses to back any plan to base judging in dog shows on dogs' health and well being.My favorite chapter gave examples of statements people make to justify ignoring their bond with animals and doing nothing to help them. He gives simple arguments we can make when we are confronted with this. For example, if you don't eat meat because of the abuses to cows by big agribusiness, when someone says, "If you won't eat meat, then you shouldn't wear leather shoes." Argument: "You're making a case for doing nothing because I can't do everything."For those who care about animals, sometimes this book is difficult to read because of all the real-life examples of abuses to animals. If this is you, just take a break between chapters. But do read it.This is such an important book! Everyone should read it. We all need to know what Pacelle emphasizes: we've always had a bond with all animals, so we have a responsibility to see that they are not abused and to do what we can to discourage abuse.

Anyone who seeks to know more about animals, their treatment in this country, what is possible for improving their living conditions, learning what it means to be humane with animals and much more, this incredible book is the one to read. Other reviews have given details of what is included, so I won't repeat what has been accounted for. What I want to note is Pacelle's ability to tell us about animals in readable English, with well-organized sections, clearly communicating the importance of improving our bond with animals, and the reasons for doing so. (Despite the lead-in to my review, I bought the hardback version of this book.) The end notes and index are important appendices.As one who is almost a fanatic about what is good writing, in clear and grammatical form with words correctly spelled, it has been a joy to read this book, aware of what a great editing effort has gone into the completion of a very long and informative book. Thank you, editors! Thank you HarperCollins!The personal account of Pacelle's interactions with animal organizations, agri-business operations, the wonders of human and animal connections, all add up to a superbly, extremely well-done account. I shall be doing what I can to recommend to others what Pacelle has accomplished here. How anyone could find points to criticize in the book is beyond me. I applaud enthusiastically what I have just finished reading, so pleased that this book has been written that I write this right after closing the book on the final pages.Jean RodenboughAuthor of Rachel's Children: Surviving the Second World War, and waiting to learn about the future of my manuscript with stories of animals who have been rescued, poems scattered throughout as commentary, information about animal welfare organizations (HSUS being one of those!), and photographs of many of the stars of this book waiting to be published: Bebe & Friends.

Wayne Pacelle's astounding and amazing new book - "The Bond" is at once both heart-breaking in its revelation of the gut-wrenching cruelty that is hurled at millions upon millions of animals in every minute of everyday in almost every place in this country and around the world ... and it is also heart-warming in how millions of people are also "getting the message" and stepping up to the challenge of trying to break this cycle of in-humane and wanton abuse of animals at all levels ! Pacelle's in-depth research and vigilance - and that of the Humane Society of the United States(HSUS)- leaves no question that this cruelty must be exposed, addressed and stopped. It needs to start in the human heart, in the day to day personal choices we all make and at the legislative levels in every state. A book such as this comes along only all too rarely .. It is a ground breaking, mind-blowing challenge to us all ! A must read - in homes, in schools, in churches and in the halls of government! I am more than grateful and energized by this incredible book! Thank you, Wayne Pacelle, for awakening our individual and collective consciences and throwing our blind-eyed apathy out the door !

The Bond: Our Kinship with Animals, Our Call to Defend Them  I completely agree with Jane Goodall's praise. If the animals knew about this book, they would bestow upon it their highest honor.Thank you Wayne Pacelle for all the time and effort you put into writing this book, for revealing the painful truth about how we're treating animals and for your call to defend them.I highly recommend this book. It's a must read. The Bond: Our Kinship with Animals, Our Call to Defend Them

Excellent book,very informative. Easy to read