Exotic pet ownership in the UK has grown 60% since 2000, according to the wildlife charity Born Free. But escaped wild animals are also a growing concern for their potential to spread disease, and the impact an invasive species might have on nature. The Guardian visits BeastWatch, an organisation of volunteers that specialises in the safe retrieval of exotic pets, and Bristol Zoo to see how wild animals are kept in captivity and ask if new laws can address some of the issues 

Horse racing is a lucrative industry financed by betting. But its focus on money is at the detriment of horses, which are constantly at risk of injury or death. After a string of controversies, the industry is opening up with welfare and PR initiatives. Can racing ever offer a good life to the horses it produces?

The Guardian visits three research labs to see how the use of animals for research continues to evolve

The Guardian's Richard Sprenger steps inside a farm, an abattoir and a knackers yard to see how the industry deals with dead and dying animals, and what that says about our own humanity

Humans' relationship with animals is under greater focus than ever, as part of a drive to lessen our impact on the planet. In the UK, animal rights activists, buoyed by the rise in veganism and a developing understanding of animal sentience, have spotted an opportunity to grow what has traditionally been a fringe cause. 

The great majority of these activists are non-violent, dispensing with some of the tactics of their predecessors and aiming to harness this momentum to win hearts and minds. But can they really force the changes they are demanding?

• This is episode one of a new series called Human Animal which looks at our relationship with animals, after the pandemic exposed just how problematic that can be.