Abstrakt
This chapter analyses the narratives by two popular Dutch writers who undertook travels in search of rarely seen domestic animals: Dier, bovendier (2010; Brother Mendelʾs Perfect Horse, 2012) by Frank Westerman and Alleen de knor wordt niet gebruikt (2009; Everything but the squeal is used) by Yvonne Kroonenberg. It investigates how domestic animals - Lipizzaner horses and Dutch farm pigs respectively - are represented and how their selective breeding and (mis)use are argued both for, and against.
The analysis utilises the framework of human-animal studies, including concepts from related domains (e.g., social psychology), such as animal welfare, animal rights, inherent value, animal labour, the erasure of animals, speciesism, carnism, cognitive dissonance, and the meat paradox.