Animal Emotions

Do animals think and feel?

Marc Bekoff Ph.D.

Why Being Called a "Birdbrain" Is Quite a Compliment

An enlightening new book shows many human traits, including longevity, intelligence, monogamy and childrearing, and learning and language, are more avian than mammalian.

Is a "Bad Dog" Really a "Bad Dog?"

A blend of science, psychology, and patience go a long way in dog training. All too often calling a dog a "bad dog" says as much about the human as it says about the dog.

Are Pampered Pet Dogs Better Off Than Village Dogs?

An important new study highlights the unrealistic social expectations we place on pet dogs and the many ways we overrun their lives.

The Hearts and Souls of Passionate, Grudge-Holding Hawks

Sy Montgomery's new book explains how hawks are brilliant, emotional animals—loyal but quick to show anger and frustration and able to hold a grudge for years.

It’s Best Not to Judge Dogs by Their Covers

While dog breeds don’t have distinct personalities and breed is a poor predictor of a dog's behavior, understanding a dog's nature and nurture must be considered. 

Cats Deserve to Be Happy—Here's How to Enrich Their Lives

Dr. Zazie Todd's new book is an easy-to-read, research-based practical guide to how to give cats the fullest lives possible.

Domestication and Other Animal Models of Collective Trauma

Collective trauma is usually discussed only for humans, but domesticating other animals and how we're treating them in the Anthropocene are good examples of societal trauma.

Why Do So Many Animals Have the Ability to Do Math?

A new book challenges the myth that only a few animals have a knack for numbers and shows that many diverse nonhumans have well-developed numerical skills.

Empathic Skills of People With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Research finds that people with autism spectrum disorders have more difficulty understanding the emotions of humans than those of nonhumans.

Can Dogs Be Happy and Healthy Vegans?

A new study suggests that vegan diets are healthier and safer for dogs and may also positively affect their psychological well-being.

The Hidden Slippery Slopes of Animal Reintroduction Programs

A discussion of the biology, psychology, and ethics of moving animals such as wolves from one place to another to repatriate them in areas where others of their kind once lived.

Selfies Aren't Only About Self-Centered, Narcissistic Humans

A fascinating book 'Selfie Aesthetics' shows that narrow, popularized views stressing narcissism—"it's all about me"—sorely miss the point.

Dog-Human Relationships and the Five Love Languages

Acts of service, gift-giving, physical touch, quality time, and words of affirmation apply equally to dog-human and human-human relationships.

Pet Loss, Animal Spirituality, Earth Ethics, and Celebration

Reverend Sarah Bowen playfully shares insights for sustaining and improving nonhuman's lives, honoring their deaths, and managing our emotions when we lose an animal we love.

Dog Smarts and Hearts: Distinguishing Facts From Myths

Two dog experts explain what we know (and don't know) about the minds of canids and what helps make a "good human."

Wild Baby Bonobos Stress Out Older Siblings

A new study shows older sibs seek more contact with their moms, have 5X higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and also highlights the importance of field research.

The Unimaginable Scope and Damage of Animal Trafficking

Will Staples' book 'Animals' delves deeply into the psychology behind, and the dire consequences of, global wildlife trafficking.

Colorado Leads in Caring for Humans and Other Animals

Promoting widespread animal protection shows that caring for the welfare of nonhuman animals also includes respecting human attitudes and well-being.

Post-Pandemic Dogs Profited From Homed Humans but Got Fatter

A point of fascination throughout the COVID pandemic has been the tectonic shift in dog-human relationships.

Cooperation in Animals: From Ants to Rats to Clusterflocks

Ashley Ward's wide-ranging and easy-to-read book clearly shows we can learn more about animals by studying how they work together and empathize than by how they compete. 

Human-Animal Relationships: Power, Justice, and Fairness

Dinesh Wadiwel asks us to think deeply about the underlying psychology of human exceptionalism, dominance, violence, and fairness in our on-going relationships with other animals.

Better Patient Outcomes: The NIH Must Move Beyond Research with Animals

Research is crucial for advancing disease prevention and treatment, but it’s hampered by a reliance on ineffective and wasteful animal experiments.

As Food Animals Became "Things," Their Feelings Were Ignored

A new book explores how farm animals became objectified unfeeling products and the role played by veterinary science, philosophy, economics, and law in this heartless process.

Why Is Eating Meat So Emotionally and Ethically Challenging?

Rob Percival's 'The Meat Paradox' explores the psychological forces shaping our diets, the origins of empathy, why many people are troubled by what they eat, and how they cope.

Sentient: How Animals Illuminate the Wonder of Our Senses

A fascinating new book explores the extraordinary sensory capacities of 13 nonhumans and explains how they (and we) make sense of the world.

Will the Future of Food Be a World Without Meat?

In a challenging and well-reasoned book, Roanne van Voorst asks us to imagine when consuming other animals becomes a habit of the past.

Dog Training Requires Respecting the Deep Emotional Lives of Dogs

We already understand the science of connection, we just have to translate it into "dog."

'Gods in Shackles': Elephants, Empathy, Freedom, and Justice

Sangita Iyer’s courageous journey is a wonderful model for how we must “rewild” ourselves and coexist peacefully with the fascinating nonhumans with whom we share Earth.

'Your Inner Zoo': How Nonhumans Help Us Understand Ourselves

Belinda Recio shows us how to connect with animals through their natural and cultural histories and develop a more profound interrelationship with the more-than-human world.

The Social and Emotional Lives of Urban Gray Foxes

Based on thousands of hours of study, citizen scientist Bill Leikam offers valuable insights into the minds, hearts, and family lives of urban carnivores.

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