Drawing on a lifetime's work, John Bradshaw shows how our love of animals goes to the heart of what it means to be human.

Keeping pets is expensive, time-consuming, and seemingly irrational - so why do so many of us have an animal in our lives? Pet-keeping is much more than just a simple pastime. As John Bradshaw reveals in this highly original new work, our connection with animals is one of the very things that makes us human.

In The Animals Among Us, Bradshaw takes us to the heart of Anthrozoology, a new science dedicated to discovering the true nature and depth of the human-animal bond. Following the thread of our affection for animals, from today's pet lovers all the way back to our ancient ancestors, Bradshaw reveals how animals have always been an integral part of our lives: indeed, they have shaped the evolution of our minds and our bodies.

Now, as increasing numbers of species are under threat, John Bradshaw warns us that if we lose the animals among us, we risk losing an essential part of ourselves.