"The Hurkle Is a Happy Beast" touches lightly on the issue of how human beings associate with animals. Mr. Stott represents a scientific bent of mind that perceives the hurkle not as another being but as a curiosity to be studied. His use of DDT powder to coat the almost invisible hurkle kitten is ingenious, but it is also potentially dangerous for the hurkle; a common complaint about biological science is that researchers often put at risk or outright harm the animals they study. In this sense, "The Hurkle Is a Happy Beast" is a serves-you-right story, with humanity as represented by Stott driven from the earth by an animal that wants nothing more than to be friendly. "Isn't this a lovely place?" concludes the story, implying that life on earth is better off without human beings.