Honey bees deliberate democratically. Rats reflect on the past. Snakes have friends. In recent decades, our understanding of animal intelligence has exploded—but the way we relate to wild animals has yet to catch up. Meet the Neighbors asks: What would it mean if we took animal minds seriously?

Science shows that the creatures who share our everyday landscapes—from devoted geese to clever raccoons to playful turtles—are thinking, feeling individuals. Should we then see them as fellow persons, even citizens? Weaving in the latest research, Brandon Keim takes us into courtrooms and wildlife hospitals, under back garden decks and into deserts, to meet the philosophers, rogue pest controllers, ecologists, wildlife doctors and others who are reimagining our relationships to animals and to nature.

A beguiling invitation to discover an expanded sense of community and kinship beyond our own species, Meet the Neighbors opens our eyes to the world of vibrant intelligence just outside our doors.