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Pets and Their People

talks

Date & Time

Sat, 21 Mar 2026

19:00

Venue

Weston Lecture Theatre

View original & register

On Oxford Literary Festival - Events 2026

About this event

Charles Foster explores the complex relationships between pets and their human companions. A fascinating look at how animals become integral parts of our families and lives, examining the bonds that form across species.

Why you should come

AI-powered

• Hear Charles Foster explain how 10,000 years of domestication shaped human identity

• Learn why humans seek to keep wild animals like snakes and cats in their homes

• Discover the science behind the human-pet bond from a former vet and Oxford fellow

Event Highlights

  • Exploration of 10,000 years of animal domestication history
  • Insights from bestselling natural historian and Oxford fellow Charles Foster
  • Analysis of the psychological and evolutionary bond between humans and pets
  • Linked to a free exhibition at the Bodleian Library

Speaker

Charles Foster

Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford, former vet and barrister

Programme

10:00am

Pets and Their People

A one-hour session exploring the relationship between humans and pets through history and science.

Organized by: Bodleian Libraries

Additional details loaded from organizer's website