Author: Shevelow, Kathryn

In 18th-century England, where cockfighting and bullbaiting drew large crowds and the abuse of animals was routine, the idea of animal protection was laughably radical. But as pets became more common, human attitudes toward animals evolved. Shevelow, a respected scholar, tells the engaging story of how an unlikely group of extraordinary people laid the foundation for the legal protection of animals. Accessible and lively, this captivating cultural narrative explores how our feelings toward animals reveal our ideas about ourselves, God, mercy, and nature. 320 pp.