Wayne Pacelle, the President and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, will appear in Boston on Friday, August 5th to discuss and sign copies of his best-selling animal advocacy book, The Bond: Our Kinship with Animals, Our Call to Defend Them. Pacelle will talk at the Trident Booksellers & Cafe on Newbury Street at 7:00pm. The event is free to the public.
First published in April of this year, The Bond focuses on the relationship between people and animals, and the current threats to animal welfare. Pacelle has gotten a lot of flack over his decision to work with NFL quarterback Michael Vick, who admitted to personal involvement in the killing of 13 pitbulls at his Bad Newz kennels in Virginia, and subsequently served 21 months in jail after being convicted of federal charges relating to conspiracy and animal fighting. Rather than shun Vick, Pacelle boldly enlisted him to work with the HSUS to educate young people about the horrors of dog fighting; the two unlikely allies have recently lobbied together in support of anti-dog fighting legislation.
In an excerpt from a chapter in The Bond entitled, "Innovation and the Spark of Life," Pacelle writes:
"People can surprise you, and I’ve learned over the years that sometimes the best allies can be your former adversaries. It’s a rare thing to meet someone who doesn’t feel some measure of concern or sympathy for animals, or at least the occasional moment of doubt about the cruelties committed at their expense. We’re a cause made up of converts; the doors of this movement are open to anyone whose heart and mind leads them inside."
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