Animals in Translation

By Temple Grandin and Catherine Johnson

This book looks at animal behavior from an autistic point of view, comparing similarities between autistic brains and behavior and animal brains and behavior. The author, Temple Grandin, who is autistic, believes that autism can shine a light on how animals view the world, because of those similarities. She shares her own discoveries and struggles and how they have led her to realize that she sees the world in many ways the same as animals do.
Her autistic view point has enabled her to design animal handling systems and equipment that reduce the stress on the animal. In this this book she shares her insights with the goal of improving the lot of animals who share their lives with humans, from chickens and pigs and cattle to our pet dogs and cats. Her insights can help every person who wants to improve the quality of life of the animals under their care. This isn't just a book for pet owners, it has lots of tips for farmers, ranchers and packing houses.
Temple points out that people need animals and the humane thing to do is to make their lives as stress free and easy as we can. She also addresses the strange personality defects that can arise in animals that are over-bred or bred with the emphasis on improving one particular trait. This kind of over-breeding can lead to rapist roosters, dogs with epilepsy who bite without warning or provocation and cows who are indifferent mothers. One of the things Temple would like to see happen is less emphasis on building a particular trait within a breed such as large, meaty breasts in chickens, a hyper alert posture in sporting dogs and huge milk production in cows and more emphasis on breeding for overall good health.

This sounds like it is a boring book but it really isn't. Temple gets her point across with many interesting examples from reality that gives her text life and poignancy. It's well worth reading for anyone who shares their life with animals and cares for and about them.