Humans have a long and close history with animals, starting as competitors and now companions. As people build more and more connections with the natural world, the similarities and differences between humans and other animals becomes clearer.
In “Kindred Spirits: One Animal Family,” author and psychologist Anne Benvenuti examines the perceptions of human-animal relationships. Benvenuti records her travels across the globe visiting animal conservation, rescue and sanctuary programs. She fables her experiences with household pets like cats and dogs as well as more exotic animals like elephants and monkeys. As a psychologist, she looks at human-animal relationships through the lens of human and animal neurobiology, explaining that there are more similarities on a biological level than people might think.
“Kindred Spirits” give an eye into the human and animal psyche, proposing creative responses to conservation issues and changing climates. Through ecology, animal welfare, psychology and philosophy, Benvenuti drops clues to understanding human motivation and behavior as it relates to animal relationships, creating a network of collaboration.
