PUBLISHING YEAR: 2002 SUMMARY: A pocket-sized review of the formal ethical framework around animal rights. AUDIENCE: You will probably give up in disgust if you don’t have at least a smidgin of formal education in philosophy/ethics, or at least formal training in animal welfare issues. It gets pretty dry. REVIEW The author: David de Grazia […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 2012 SUMMARY: A multidisciplinary look at the scientific body of knowledge on the concept of consequences. AUDIENCE: I will say ‘academic’ because it is laced with interconnected theoretical concepts that you’ll need a solid academic grounding to follow comfortably. Or many coffees and Advils and iron-clad willpower. REVIEW The author: Dr. Susan M. Schneider is a biopsychologist. She is […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 2011 SUMMARY: Abridged review of the behaviour research on cattle, sheep, goats, horses, pigs, dogs and cats. AUDIENCE: Don’t pick it up unless you are well-versed in biology, psychology and zoology terminology. Or at least not without your trusty scientific dictionary. The intended readership is decidedly academic. REVIEW The author: Katherine Houpt is a huge name in […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 2006 SUMMARY: Textbook of psychotropic pharmacological compounds and their use in clinical practice, as well as their pharmacokinetics, costs, adverse effects, etc. AUDIENCE: GP vets who want to refine their pharmacological approach to pervasive behavioural complaints. REVIEW Hold on to your horses there, as I am not going to hold back on jargon in this one. The authors: […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 1997 SUMMARY: Handbook of behavioural medicine for cats and dogs. AUDIENCE: This one is definitely for the professional, and more for people on the clinical/research side of behaviour therapy than pure dog training. It’s also an ideal handbook for vets who are interested in behavioural treatments. REVIEW By the time I’d finished reviewing […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 2012 SUMMARY: (Non-systematic) review of the various theories behind the dog’s evolution. AUDIENCE: The book fits most comfortably in the science popularization section if you scrap the popularization part. It reads more like a textbook without peer review or citations. Try it if you’re comfortable with quite a bit of evolutionary biology jargon. […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 2007 SUMMARY: The Dog volume in a series of books on domestic animal welfare. A condensed review on the research literature – and discussions – on the welfare topics affecting dogs. AUDIENCE: REVIEW: ‘The Welfare of Dogs‘ looks at dog welfare through welfare science and formal ethics. It was written by animal welfare researcher (and […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 2010 SUMMARY: A giant encyclopaedia of animal behaviour. And I mean ‘giant.’ AUDIENCE: Academics in search of close-to-standard, accepted definitions of animal behaviour concepts. REVIEW: 1000+ pages of essays and definitions by an army of the most respected researchers in animal behaviour. This unmissable encyclopaedia is now used in many universities as the […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 1998 SUMMARY: Series of essays by the leading experts on all matters relating to animal welfare. AUDIENCE: You will predominantly use this book to reference your academic essays/articles, or to refine and structure your understanding of a concept. It lies more in the realm of intellectual exploration than practical guidance. REVIEW: The book […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 1976 (original), 1989 (my edition) SUMMARY: Brick-sized treatise on the mechanics of genes on population dynamics and trait expression – in (nearly) everyday language. AUDIENCE: A classic must-read if you’re remotely interested in biology –> zoology –> understanding genes AND if you enjoy complex, subtle and far-reaching theoretical speculation into evolutionary dynamics. REVIEW: Richard […]