All animals need food, water and shelter. But what about their social and emotional needs?

Modern science tells us that animals experience a wide range of emotions—from fear and anxiety to friendship and happiness. What Animals Want is an animal-care book with a difference. It introduces young readers to the Five Freedoms and helps them think about their pets’ physical and emotional needs, providing a framework for thinking about the welfare of all animals in human care, including farm, exotic and wild animals. Author Jacqueline Pearce wrote this book in consultation with the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA), an organization internationally recognized for its innovative humane education and animal welfare work.

Key Selling Points

• The Five Freedoms principle explained in this book is used by animal welfare organizations around the world to evaluate the welfare of any animal kept in the care of people.
• The Five Freedoms include freedom from hunger and thirst, from pain, injury and disease, from distress, from discomfort and the freedom to express behaviors that promote well-being.
• 65 percent of Canadian families with children and 75 percent of American families with children have pets. This book helps kids think about how to be good pet guardians and understand what a good life is for pets.
• Developing empathy and compassion for animals helps kids relate to other people as well.
• Animal issues frequently appear in the news, whether it's debates about whales in captivity, the welfare of animals in rodeos, puppy mills, news about animal-abuse cases or animals rescued from disasters.
• The author wrote this book in conjunction with the BC SPCA, an organization internationally recognized for its innovative humane education and animal welfare work.