Defending the Defenseless

A Guide to Protecting and Advocating for Pets

By (author) Allie Phillips

Publication date:

21 July 2011

Length of book:

312 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

ISBN-13: 9781442202146

Do you love cats, dogs and other pets? Do you want to do more to help protect and advocate for these pets, but don't know where to start? Defending the Defenseless is for anyone who wants to join a growing crusade to bring animal protection to its rightful place in a civilized society, to protect animals from harm inflicted by humans, and allow them to live happily in an environment that appreciates their unique qualities. Regardless of career or lifestyle, anyone can become an advocate for pets in a growing movement to defend the defenseless. This book guides readers through the variety of ways they can help companion animals and offers practical tips to get involved, from donating money to volunteering at animal shelters, from opposing animal experimentation to raising children to protect animals. Defending the Defenseless is perfect for anyone who loves animals and is seeking guidance on how to get involved.

Introduction
Part One
Chapter 1: Animal Welfare and Animal Rights: Where do you Stand?
Chapter 2: Becoming an Animal Advocate: Where to start
Chapter 3: Staying Strong and Resilient: Overcoming Conflict and Compassion Fatigue
Part Two
Chapter 4: Humane Education: Kids helping Animals
Chapter 5: Advocating for Shelter Animals: Ending Outdated and Questionable ShelterPractices
Chapter 6: Models for Thriving Animal Organizations: Saving more Lives through Innovation
Chapter 7: Saving a Life: Transporting Shelter Animals
Chapter 8: Preventing Cruelty and Neglect of Animals
Chapter 9: Protecting Feral Cats
Chapter 10: Animal Emergency Preparedness: Disaster Response, Search and Rescue
Chapter 11: Attorneys Advocating for Animals
Chapter 12: Lobbying for Animals
Chapter 13: Using your Words to Benefit Animals
Chapter 14: Communicating with and Healing Animals
Part Three
Chapter 15: Keeping People and Pets Together: Everyone can Help
Chapter 16: Conclusion: Welcome to the Journey

Phillips (How Shelter Pets Are Brokered for Experimentation: Understanding Pound Seizure) provides us with a comprehensive guide to becoming an advocate for animals. A lawyer and staunch animal advocate herself, the author has extensive experience volunteering in animal shelters and working to promote legislation that is in the best interests of animals. She gives readers numerous and specific options for getting involved and discusses the best way to get started. She also makes readers aware of some lesser-known animal welfare concerns, such as questionable practices that may be in place at their local animal shelters. Phillips does a good job of presenting the issues in an objective manner, giving voice to people on both sides of the argument, and she is careful to make a distinction between animal advocates and animal activists, since the term activist sometimes has a negative connotation. Verdict This manual for animal advocacy is an excellent choice for readers looking for community service opportunities that will benefit animals.