Animal Death

Animal death is a complexuncomfortable depressing motivating and sensitive topic. For those scholars participating in Human-Animal Studies it is - accompanied by the concept of 'life' - the ground upon which their studies commence whether those studies are historical archaeological social philosophical or cultural. It is a tough subject to face but as this volume demonstrates one at the heart of human-animal relations and human-animal studies scholarship.... books have power. Words convey moral dilemmas. Human beings are capable of being moral creatures. So it may prove with the present book. Dear reader be warned. Reading about animal death may prove a life-changing experience. If you do not wish to be exposed to that possibility read no further ... In the end by concentrating our attention on death in animals in so many guises and circumstances we the human readers are brought face to face with the reality of our world. It is a world of pain fear and enormous stress and cruelty. It is a world that will not change anytime soon into a human community of vegetarians or vegans. But at least books like this are being written for public reflection.From the Foreword by The Hon. Michael Kirby AC CMG