The Real Love of Animals

If we analyze our feelings carefully, we often find that most of our adoration of animals centers on dogs and cats. Additionally, we sometimes might feel empathy for large, charismatic wild animals such as elephants, dolphins, or lions. When we read about a lion or an elephant who is hunted and killed in the wild, our response is often one of anger — almost as much anger as hearing stories of abuse and neglect of dogs and cats.

But there is a basic irony about these feelings; the routine slaughter of animals for food (cattle, chickens, pigs, etc.) doesn't tend to faze most of us nearly as much. There are several psychological explanations as to why that might be.

First, we must account for the influence of pop culture. Take a moment to think about how many pet movies you likely watched as a kid. Many of these media portrayals endow dogs and cats with human qualities. They sometimes talk to each other using verbal language as people would, indulge in dreams for the future, and fall in love just like we do. Popular culture has drilled it into us over generations that our pets are just like humans, and primed many of us to be animal lovers from a young age.