Defending Animals offers an in-depth look at the urgent struggle to protect animals from harm, cruelty, injustice, extinction, and their greatest threat—us
Beloved dogs and cats. Magnificent horses and mountain gorillas. Curious chickens. What do we actually do to protect animals from harm—and is it enough? Kendra Coulter’s Defending Animals provides a unique and eye-opening exploration into this world of animal protection as people defend diverse animals from injustice and cruelty.
Coulter, a globally recognized expert in animal ethics, takes readers across the different landscapes of animal protection to meet people and animals of all kinds, from cruelty investigators to forensic veterinarians, wildlife rehabilitators and conservation leaders to animal lawyers and entrepreneurs, each working in their own ways to defend animals. From the streets of major US cities to remote farms and tropical forests, Defending Animals is a gritty and moving portrait of the real work of animal protection that takes place in communities, courtrooms, and boardrooms.
Bringing unparalleled research and a distinct and nuanced analytical viewpoint, Defending Animals shows that animal protection is not only physical, intellectual, and emotional work but also a labor so rooted in empathy and care that it just might bridge the vast divide between polarized people and help create a more humane future for us all.
“This is about our species,” Coulter writes in the book. “Yet simultaneously, it can’t just be all about humans. Animals are family members and friends as well as neighbors, coworkers, and fellow beings in their own right who deserve to live joyful and peaceful lives on this one planet we all call home.”
Defending Animals in the media:
Sierra magazine published a review of the book in their fall print issue, writing that Defending Animals is “more than a mere survey of problems and solutions… This book is a narrative portrait of the animal caregivers on the front lines, showcasing their often difficult task of protecting the defenseless.”
Kendra Coulter was interviewed on Canada’s The Agenda with Steve Paikin (TVO), discussing whether Ontario is doing enough to protect zoo animals.
Coulter spoke to Psychology Today about Defending Animals.
The author was also interviewed by CBC’s London Morning (Canada) about the book and her work.
“Defending Animals is a compelling exploration of animal protection, challenging readers to build a more compassionate and equitable world.” —Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder, Jane Goodall Institute; UN Messenger of Peace