Between Pets and People: The Importance of Animal Companionship [Paperback]

Alan Beck (Author), Aaron Katcher (Author), Elizabeth Marshall Thomas (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1996

Pets play a greater role in our emotional and physical health than ever before, says the Purdue University professor who is co-author of his revised edition of Between Pets and People: The Importance of Animal Companionship. The book by Alan M. Beck of Purdue's School of Veterinary Medicine and Aaron H. Katcher, psychiatrist and professor emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania, explores the emotional and physical benefits of owning a pet and analyzes the complex relationship between people and pets. "The study of the importance of the relationship between people and animals is a growing field and has the potential to be part of the whole human-health field," says Beck, director of Purdue's Center for Applied Ethology and Human-Animal Interaction. "The social milieu on where animals fit into society has really changed in the last 13 years. We've gone from recognizing the potential of animals being a significant positive contribution to certain populations, such as the elderly, to actual documentation." Beck and Katcher note a 1992 study by an Australian cardiologist of 5,000 people who visited a clinic to find ways to reduce heart disease. The study found that people with pets had lower blood pressure and lower blood fat levels than those without pets, even though the two groups were alike in diet and exercise. The authors also point to the trend by nursing homes to incorporate animals into the routine and environment for patients. For example, in the early 1980s nursing homes typically did not allow pets to visit patients, while today nearly half of the homes have an organized program for animal therapy, Beck says. In addition to exploring physical benefits, the book covers such topics as pets as family members, pets as therapists, talking to pets, and how pets can teach us to become better companions to friends and family. The book also has a list of Web sites by such organizations as Canine Companions for Independence and the American Kennel Club. While pets provide health benefits, they can create problems, Beck and Katcher say. "There is no medicine that doesn't have some side effects," Beck says. For example, more pet ownership has public-health implications such as more dog bites, he notes. And some people whose pets die grieve to the point of illness, he says. But grief over the loss of an animal is not new, Beck says. Ancient Egyptians shaved their eyebrows after their cats died, and the Roman emperor Caligula had his horse entombed.

Product Details

• Paperback: 316 pages
• Publisher: Purdue University Press (September 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557530777
• ISBN-13: 978-1557530776
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,205,816 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For Responsible Pet Owners Only . . ., December 24, 1999

By 

Owned and Loved by Schnauzers "Owned by Schna... (Someplace, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Between Pets and People: The Importance of Animal Companionship (Paperback)

I would like to revise my original book review on this book.

This book is outstanding and I would highly recommend it for EVERY dog owner and POTENTIAL dog owner.

In addition to discussing the reasons why people choose pets, as well as discussing traits of pets themselves, the authors address other very important topics. Some of the topics discussed are: euthanasia; dog bites -- causes, statistics, solutions; strays -- how to identify them from wandering but owned dogs, and the health problems strays pose; dog packs -- how they operate and the dangers of packs. The authors included a table, The Urban Stray Dog, which is helpful in identifying the difference between an 'Owned Dog' and an 'Unowned Dog.' Also addressed are the diseases that dogs and pets can pass on to humans, their occurrence, and solutions to these disease threats. Not left out are issues such as dealing with people who have too many pets -- and how this type of multiple ownership causes problem for other urban dwellers; the traits of these multiple pet owners are also discussed. Dog laws are also discussed as are poop scoop laws.

The back of the book lists books and articles that the reader might find helpful under various topics discussed in the book; also listed are resource to be found on the internet on topics such as Pets in Therapy, Pet Information, Animal Behavior, Animal Care, Pet Loss, and Veterinary Education and Professional Services.

The book discussed other companion animals as well, but as a dog owner, I tended to focus my review on those issues relevant to me. I do not mean to bias you against the book by excluding mention of other companion animals addressed in the book. This book is probably one of the most comprehensive books I have read about companion animals and the issues surrounding them.

This book covers issues not dealt with in any other book I have read -- yet knowledge of these issues is necessary for being a responsible pet owner. No matter what your pet, you ought to give this book a read. It is a very easy and interesting read, the balance between active and passive voice tends to draw you into the context and makes it hard to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For Serious Pet Owners Only . . ., December 22, 1999

By 

Owned and Loved by Schnauzers "Owned by Schna... (Someplace, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Between Pets and People: The Importance of Animal Companionship (Paperback)

This book is a "must read" for those who consider their pet a close friend or family member.

The book is an easy read, and I found myself 3/4 of the way through it the first night. Not only is the topic interesting, but the writing skill is commendable -- it is written with a nice balance of active/passive voice.

It explained to me, in easy layman terms, the physiological benefits of pet companionship. It also explains why we psycologically find pet 'ownership' so satisfying.

Other books have explored this human-pet relationship through pictures -- "Guys and Dogs", "Woman's Best Friend", "New York Dogs" and they have done a fine job with the pictures.

The authors of "Between Pets and People" have now given us the words and facts to explain our feelings for our pets, And through the facts and explanations emerges a legitimacy for the pet-people relationship that didn't exist before. As you read the book you discover as much about yourself as you do about animal companionship.

This book belongs on your bookshelf!

8 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Author says only some dogs are important and deserve to live, March 9, 2010

By 

alada (Syracuse, NY) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Between Pets and People: The Importance of Animal Companionship (Paperback)

I purchased and read this book about 4 years ago. At the time I thought it was an OK book about dogs and humans and kept the book on my bookshelf.

I have recently learned that the author advocates the destruction and killing of all dogs that look like pit bulls. He even testified in Ontario to help the banning of these dogs - where they are now seized out of their loving owners' arms and either killed or sold for medical research!

I now view this book as a total lie and everything the author wrote as a horrific betrayal of the human-dog bond.

How can Beck pretend to care about dogs and continue to sell a book about the "importance of animal companionship" while actively being a proponent for breed bans and for having beloved family dogs taken from their owners in Ontario and killed.

Beck is a disgrace to everyone and anyone who cares about animals and who truly understands the importance of ALL dogs.

I have just thrown my copy of this hypocritical book into the trash.