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A review by studiomikarts
Introduction to Animal Rights: Your Child or the Dog? by Gary Francione
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
5.0
I've been putting off reviewing this book for months, not because I didn't want to review it nor because I didn't like it, but because it had such a huge (and ongoing) impact on me that I didn't know where to start. But I think humanity would become more aware, compassionate, and truly protective of animals if more people read this book, so here is my attempt to give a fair and heartfelt review!
First, TL;DR: This book is difficult--academically, conceptually, and emotionally--but it's worth your time if you care about improving conditions for the trillions of animals (annually) whose lives are affected and controlled by humanity.
I'd like to start by talking about the main argument this book makes, but it is so well set up and followed through that it almost feels spoilery to do so. Still, the book's inflammatory title might deter some readers who would otherwise agree with the conclusions it makes, so I think it's worthwhile to explain it.
The book starts by introducing examples of how things stand for animals today (while the book was first published 20+ years ago, things have unfortunately not improved much overall) including a heavy focus on animal rights philosophers and existing legal "protections". Much of the material is infuriating and heartbreaking, not because of the book, but because much of it is conveniently kept out of the public eye by the perpetrators. Before this book, I was just like most people, thinking things like, "Well, at least the animals live a nice life being taken care of, without a worry in the world, before they're killed," or "Well, at least animals in the zoo are safe from wild dangers like predators, illness, injury, etc." I bought into the propaganda of animal exploitation institutions. Since this book has a firm grounding in academia and comes from a professor of law, it's easy to verify the information it presents (there is a huge notes section at the end, including all the sources used, which you can then check for yourself). Knowing the information is solid makes it easy to agree with the arguments it makes in favor of true animal rights (i.e. the right to not be treated as property).
So what's the main argument? The book's subtitle and cover set it up. The scene is a house, burning ferociously, and you're watching from the outside. It's impossible to save more than one being, and you know your child and a dog are inside. Who do you save? The assumption may be, this is a vegan book, so it's going to tell me to save the dog, or that I should save whomever I find first, because animals should be treated like humans. I admit I had a similar expectation, and I was wrong! The book actually suggests that saving your child is not only the natural thing to do, but perhaps the morally correct decision. It completely allows for choosing a human over an animal. I was truly surprised by this and I couldn't help but agree. The argument here is just as fair and sound as throughout the rest of the book.
And by the end it gets REALLY interesting.
That burning house, with human and dog inside? That's the story animal exploiters feed us every day. It makes it very easy to say, Yeah, it sucks that we have to do things this way, but it's only natural and correct to take care of our own first.
What the animal exploiters don't tell you is that they're the ones who dragged your child and the dog inside the house before setting it ablaze.
And until now, I never even thought to ask, metaphorically of course, Wait, why is my child and that dog in that house? Why is the house on fire?
That's the core argument of this book. That individuals are being duped by those who exploit animals. That (even if we're not suffering as extremely) humans like you and I are just as much victims of animal exploitation. It's a mindblowing revelation that changed my life forever. The book makes other arguments as well, all of which are well reasoned and frankly unassailable. I recommend it to anyone who cares about animals!
That said, it is a book that requires fortitude from its reader. For one, there are graphic descriptions and harrowing photos included. One photo of a cow screaming for help on its way to slaughter haunts me every day. I think about how that cow never got help, and is long dead, and how millions like it face the same grim fate every year, thousands every day. But it also reminds me why I do what I do. Why I choose a vegan lifestyle, why I donate to reputable animal charities, why I focus my career on furthering animal welfare. I am extremely sensitive to graphic material, so this may be a difficult hurdle for some readers. I recommend the book anyway. Don't let yourself continue to be hoodwinked. You deserve to know the truth. The animals deserve to have their situation known.
Another difficult point in this book is its academic nature. This is not armchair nonfiction. It requires attention and deep thought and maybe even research to properly understand. Anyone with a college-level understanding of English should be able to follow it, but be prepared to invest time in reading and digesting what it has to say. Please don't let the time commitment deter you. Again, if you care about helping animals, it will be worth your while!
If you're able to overcome these hurdles, not only will you see the infallible validity of the book's abolitionist standpoint, you will be given guidance on how to move the world in the right direction. It's not just a book about law or philosophy, it's a map toward a truly compassionate future. The main points I took from it include:
First, TL;DR: This book is difficult--academically, conceptually, and emotionally--but it's worth your time if you care about improving conditions for the trillions of animals (annually) whose lives are affected and controlled by humanity.
I'd like to start by talking about the main argument this book makes, but it is so well set up and followed through that it almost feels spoilery to do so. Still, the book's inflammatory title might deter some readers who would otherwise agree with the conclusions it makes, so I think it's worthwhile to explain it.
The book starts by introducing examples of how things stand for animals today (while the book was first published 20+ years ago, things have unfortunately not improved much overall) including a heavy focus on animal rights philosophers and existing legal "protections". Much of the material is infuriating and heartbreaking, not because of the book, but because much of it is conveniently kept out of the public eye by the perpetrators. Before this book, I was just like most people, thinking things like, "Well, at least the animals live a nice life being taken care of, without a worry in the world, before they're killed," or "Well, at least animals in the zoo are safe from wild dangers like predators, illness, injury, etc." I bought into the propaganda of animal exploitation institutions. Since this book has a firm grounding in academia and comes from a professor of law, it's easy to verify the information it presents (there is a huge notes section at the end, including all the sources used, which you can then check for yourself). Knowing the information is solid makes it easy to agree with the arguments it makes in favor of true animal rights (i.e. the right to not be treated as property).
So what's the main argument? The book's subtitle and cover set it up. The scene is a house, burning ferociously, and you're watching from the outside. It's impossible to save more than one being, and you know your child and a dog are inside. Who do you save? The assumption may be, this is a vegan book, so it's going to tell me to save the dog, or that I should save whomever I find first, because animals should be treated like humans. I admit I had a similar expectation, and I was wrong! The book actually suggests that saving your child is not only the natural thing to do, but perhaps the morally correct decision. It completely allows for choosing a human over an animal. I was truly surprised by this and I couldn't help but agree. The argument here is just as fair and sound as throughout the rest of the book.
And by the end it gets REALLY interesting.
That burning house, with human and dog inside? That's the story animal exploiters feed us every day. It makes it very easy to say, Yeah, it sucks that we have to do things this way, but it's only natural and correct to take care of our own first.
What the animal exploiters don't tell you is that they're the ones who dragged your child and the dog inside the house before setting it ablaze.
And until now, I never even thought to ask, metaphorically of course, Wait, why is my child and that dog in that house? Why is the house on fire?
That's the core argument of this book. That individuals are being duped by those who exploit animals. That (even if we're not suffering as extremely) humans like you and I are just as much victims of animal exploitation. It's a mindblowing revelation that changed my life forever. The book makes other arguments as well, all of which are well reasoned and frankly unassailable. I recommend it to anyone who cares about animals!
That said, it is a book that requires fortitude from its reader. For one, there are graphic descriptions and harrowing photos included. One photo of a cow screaming for help on its way to slaughter haunts me every day. I think about how that cow never got help, and is long dead, and how millions like it face the same grim fate every year, thousands every day. But it also reminds me why I do what I do. Why I choose a vegan lifestyle, why I donate to reputable animal charities, why I focus my career on furthering animal welfare. I am extremely sensitive to graphic material, so this may be a difficult hurdle for some readers. I recommend the book anyway. Don't let yourself continue to be hoodwinked. You deserve to know the truth. The animals deserve to have their situation known.
Another difficult point in this book is its academic nature. This is not armchair nonfiction. It requires attention and deep thought and maybe even research to properly understand. Anyone with a college-level understanding of English should be able to follow it, but be prepared to invest time in reading and digesting what it has to say. Please don't let the time commitment deter you. Again, if you care about helping animals, it will be worth your while!
If you're able to overcome these hurdles, not only will you see the infallible validity of the book's abolitionist standpoint, you will be given guidance on how to move the world in the right direction. It's not just a book about law or philosophy, it's a map toward a truly compassionate future. The main points I took from it include:
- Laws do not effectively protect animals. Culture has to change first.
- Person = personality = animals are people.
- It doesn't matter how kindly you treat animals if they're still nothing more than property.
And, to wrap up, some powerful quotes:
In many ways, our prevailing ways of thinking about animals should make us skeptical of our claim that it is our rationality that distinguishes us from them.
Labels such as "natural" and "traditional" are just that: labels. They are not reasons. If people defend the imposition of pain and suffering on an animal based on what is natural or traditional, it usually means they cannot otherwise justify their conduct.
The argument for animal rights does not decrease respect for human life; it increases respect for all life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Moderate: Death, Murder, Slavery, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Medical content, Confinement, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic