“In recent years, the academic world has increasingly turned its attention to exploring the relationship between humans and other animals….The vast majority of anthrozoological studies, however, concentrate upon our relationship with pet animals. This is hardly surprising given that many research projects on human-animal relations are sponsored by the pet-food giant Waltham. Such research consequently tends to evaluate and promote the benefits of pet ownership, rather than confronting more controversial or distasteful aspects of human-animal relations…To the other extreme, topics such as factory farming, vivisection, zoos, pet-abandonment, etc. have generally been hijacked by animal rights activists, ethicists and moral philosophers…the discussion of such issues should be treated more pragmatically in their cultural and historical context.”
