In ancient Egypt people worshiped cats, and in India the cow is sacred. Today in America we flock to zoos in record numbers and pamper our pets. But what do we really know about animals? --From publisher description.

Pt. 1: A brief history. Beasts and shadows : early days ; From animas to animosity : we get civilized ; Pet familiars and pigs on trial : crime, punishment, and spectacle in the Middle Ages ; Devil cats and machines : the age of exploration ; Elephant martyrs and ancestor apes : the Victorians ; Clever horses and signing chimps -- Pt. 2: Today and tomorrow. Shape shifting ; Playing dog, seeking proof ; Modern menageries ; Where we end and they begin.