Animal Companions

Animal Companions: Pets and Social Change in Eighteenth-Century Britain, Volume 1, examines the complex relationship between humans and animals during a transformative era. Ingrid H Tague explores how eighteenth-century British society perceived pets and how these domestic animals reflected broader cultural debates. As England emerged as a wealthy nation shaped by the Enlightenment, the presence of pets became a focal point for discussions regarding religion, science, and morality. This history book investigates how pet ownership served as a visible indicator of spreading prosperity and social shifts.

Through an analysis of natural histories, periodicals, and material culture, this work details how human-animal relationships shaped the identity of a changing nation. Animal Companions: Pets and Social Change in Eighteenth-Century Britain, Volume 1, provides a scholarly look at the social conditions and pet owners of the period. The text illustrates how the act of keeping animals helped Britons articulate their evolving understanding of humanity and the structure of their society.