Speciesism Hits a Speed Bump

Dave Coverly Says Human Exceptionalism Is a Really Funny Idea

Award-winning cartoonist Dave Coverly has been finding humor in the absurdities of everyday life for more than 30 years, and we love his work. In his syndicated comic, Speed Bump, animals frequently get the last laugh as he exposes humans’ quirks – and sometimes how dumb our species can be – with clever punchlines.

Coverly has not eaten animals for more than three decades, thanks in part, he says, to PETA. He’s appalled by the treatment of cows, chickens, pigs, and others who end up in fast-food boxes and casseroles and by the “arrogant way that humans treat animals in general.” He puts his pen to work to make people think about things from the animals’ side of the equation. While Coverly says he tries “to raise these issues in a light manner, raising them at all at least brings them some attention.”

Of his new book, My Support Dog Ate My Comfort Food, he says, “We’re all connected, right? I don’t necessarily anthropomorphize dogs as much as put them in a human situation and allow them to still act like dogs.” Coverly’s beloved Macy, a rescued Sheltie-terrier mix who passed away a few years ago, was “one of those sweetheart pups who always wanted to be near us. … What a gift,” he says. Now, here’s our gift to you: some of our favorite Coverly cartoons!

What You Can Do

You can get a copy of My Support Dog Ate My Comfort Food signed and personalized at SchulerBooks.com. And please speak up for animals in your own way: Join PETA’s Action Team to get involved in protests, events, and other animal rights goings-on.