The attitude we show towards most animals is not always real love; often it is an unhealthy anthropocentric sentimentality. Yes, we have tender feelings towards fluffy companion animals, gambolling lambs and alpacas under threat of involuntary euthanasia. But these feelings are only directed towards animals when and if they are pleasing to us. Whenever protecting or enhancing an animal’s welfare brings costs to ourselves, our so-called love mysteriously vanishes.
Article in today’s Guardian