How and why has our relationship with animals – domesticated and wild – changed?
Our relationship with animals has evolved over thousands of years, beginning with the earliest domestication of dogs and sheep in Asia. In modern times, I believe that our concepts about animals and the roles they play in our lives have changed dramatically for a number of reasons which include socio-economic influences, technological advances and greater access to specialized veterinary care. Additionally, we demand a safe and efficient food supply today that’s as convenient as the neighborhood grocery store. We’ve grown closer to some types of animals and more distant from others. Pets are now part of the family, no longer relegated to the barn or the backyard. In the opposite direction, most of us no longer experience or understand the lifecycle of food animals from farm to table. And as development encroaches on animal habitats, we have fewer opportunities to encounter animals truly in the wild or, conversely, we see displaced wildlife as a nuisance.
