Why dogs hump and bees get depressed : the fascinating science of animal intelligence, emotions, friendship, and conservation

Summary/Review: "In 2009, Marc Bekoff was asked to write on animal emotions for Psychology Today. Some 500 popular, jargon-free essays later, the field of anthrozoology, the study of human-animal interactions, has grown exponentially, as have the data showing how smart and emotional nonhuman animals are. Here Bekoff updates selected essays that showcase animal cognitive abilities as well as empathy, grief, humor, and love. Humpback whales protect gray whales from orca attacks, combat dogs suffer from PTSD, and bees reveal thrill-seeking tendencies. While the science prompts questions about biomedical research and industrial agriculture, Bekoff's handling of it offers what Good Morning America veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker calls an "ethical compass" and reminds us that, as His Holiness the Dalai Lama put it in writing about Bekoff's work, "the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well being becomes." "--