A highly infectious, deadly virus from the central African rain forest suddenly appears in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. There is no cure. In a few days 90 percent of its victims are dead. A secret military SWAT team of soldiers and scientists is mobilized to stop the outbreak of this virus. The book tells this dramatic story, giving an account of the appearance of rare and lethal viruses and their "crashes" into the human race.

Describes the role played by the chimpanzee, Ham, in developing manned space flight in the U.S.

"Simple text and full-color illustrations describe the true story of Laika, the first dog in outer space"--

Back in the 1940s, the practice referred to as pound seizures became a common practice in taxpayer-funded animal shelters across the country. Whether for cosmetic testing, human or animal drug testing, medical technique and tool testing, or biochemical testing, these once-family pets are subjected to experimentation that often ends in death. While many states fail to keep accurate data, the number of pets that become victims of pound seizure easily...

Presents the story of the two Soviet dogs, Belka and Strelka, who were sent into space in 1960, paving the way for the first Soviet manned flight.

"Rats are creatures which inspire fear and fascination in equal measure. Their lives are more closely entwined with humans than any other animal, but they remain the most misunderstood of all species. Yet, arguably no animal has sacrificed more in the pursuit of human health but also been so resolutely blamed for spreading plague and pestilence. No animal has been so determinedly targeted by humans, and still managed to survive and thrive in our...

"When the United States was scrambling to catch up to the Soviets after their successful launch of Sputnik, they didn't turn to Mercury Seven astronauts Alan Shepard and John Glenn. Rather, they began bringing chimpanzees to Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico for a top-secret program. The goal? To do everything America needed to make space travel safe for humans and beat the Soviets. Based on extensive research and interviews with living members...