photo showing a tiger in a cage and a person interacting with the tiger from outside the cageWriting for Crosscut, Hannah Weinberger (@weinbergrrrrr) goes behind the scenes with zookeepers in Seattle to learn how they administer vaccines and blood draws to their animals. With lots of training and plenty of delicious rewards, many animals are willing to undergo their “pokes” — but why do the staff go through all this trouble? Weinberger leads us through the growing movement in zoos to give animals more agency in their own care, which helps both animals and keepers stay safe and healthy, and explores the philosophical question of whether an animal can provide consent. Photo: ​​Genna Martin/Crosscut, used with permission