What do animals really feel? Do we have the right to use them at our pleasure, or are they entitled to rights like us? How much longer can the livestock industry remain sustainable for our planet? This illuminating guide challenges our worldview.

Anyone who shares their life with a dog or cat knows this: animals rejoice, suffer, and experience emotions, thoughts, and intentions. This bond brings us so close to them that we often consider them part of our family. In truth, all animals are our relatives—some closer, some more distant, as Darwin teaches us. So why don’t we extend this sense of care and responsibility to all animals, ensuring that they too live in decent conditions?
Domestication has undoubtedly shaped who we are. Without the labor and food provided by domesticated animals, it’s possible that Homo sapiens might not have survived. From wolves to livestock, domestication has been a true process of co-evolution, transforming both humans and the species we’ve domesticated.
Yet today, intensive farming has reached staggering proportions. Each year, approximately 75 billion chickens, 1.5 billion pigs, and 300 million cattle are slaughtered. The numbers for aquatic animals are likely even higher. This production scale is devastating for the planet and imposes immense suffering on animals, raising profound ethical questions: How can we justify such practices?
Drawing on the questions posed by philosophers, scientists, and activists, Simone Pollo invites us to reflect on our responsibilities and rethink how we coexist with other living beings.