Raising Hare

What is the difference between a pet and Dalton’s relationship with Hare? How are both of those relationships different again to, for example, a farmer’s livestock, or horses at a riding stable?

How effective do you think Dalton was in her aim of keeping Hare wild?

Can animals ever be truly owned? Should they be?

Has this book made you feel differently about the concept of keeping animals as pets?

Dalton describes ‘a new spirit of attentiveness to nature’ as a result of being with Hare. Have you ever experienced something like this yourself? Did you relate to this feeling in the book from the Covid-19 lockdown?

Did you find Raising Hare to be an emotional read? Did you chuckle at times, or find it sad, heartwarming, or adorable? Why, or why not?

What was your view about the ways Dalton talked about farming practices in her area, like hedge cutting, or the use of tractors? Did you agree, or do you have a different view?

Dalton says: ‘I had rediscovered the pleasure of attachment to a place and the contentment that can be derived from exploring it fully, rather than constantly seeking ways to leave it and believing that satisfaction can only lie in novel experiences.’ Do you think we are, as a society, too focused on ‘novel experiences’? Should we care for our immediate environments more?