Why We Love Some Animals and Eat Others

Animals are a big part of our everyday lives. We share our home with dogs and cats, and they even become part of our families. We learn to trust them and grow old together. We watch wildlife specials and sit in awe of the beauty and power of nature.

Yet, there are many animals we often overlook. We eat and wear animal products without a second thought about how they were made. We see animals in captivity without truly understanding their reality behind the metal bars. We buy from pet stores without thinking about where their dogs came from, and how many may be left waiting in shelters. 

In this new video, Sentient Media explores the uncomfortable but incredibly important question: Why do we love some animals and harm others? Join us as we take a closer look at our relationship with animals in society.

How it works:

Throughout our lives, we interact with animals in many different ways. We love our companion animals and invite them into our homes. We see animals at zoos, pet stores, and marine parks. We play with stuffed animals and watch wildlife specials. But we often overlook other animals, especially the ones we use for food.

Many people eat animal products or use products tested on animals without thinking about the amount of harm this causes. These businesses and practices often facilitate industrial animal cruelty, favoring profits over their health and well-being. We need to examine why we love some animals, but harm others and change this relationship, so we can grow as a society.

Some zoos educate the public and aid in conservation efforts, but the majority of zoo animals suffer terrible living conditions. They are abused and neglected for human entertainment. Private zoos are known to procure animals from the illegal wildlife trade. Many of these animals are endangered.

Marine parks can also get sealife illegally, and regularly mistreat them, and take animals out of their natural habitats. Signs of psychological distress are often found in captive marine life.

Companion animals are also at risk of abuse and neglect. Puppy mills that supply pet shops raise animals in hazardous conditions, and animals bred for sport often live short lives riddled with injuries.

For animals used in fashion, their lives are far shorter than their natural lifespan, as they often need to be killed before they can be used by humans. Sheep, foxes, and mink are kept in unsanitary conditions and given harmful medication. To increase the size and amount of fur or wool they produce.

Animals are also used in testing for medicine and other products. Regulatory agencies mandate animal testing despite clear evidence it isn’t useful. An FDA study found over 90 percent of drugs tested successfully on animals fail in human clinical trials. Lab animals are killed if there are too many of them, or if they grow old or sick.

We must change the way society treats animals and show them compassion; choose cruelty-free products that are not made from or tested on animals; adopt pets from your local shelter instead of breeders; support animal sanctuaries over businesses using animals for entertainment.