I don't care about specific animals, but concerned by animal suffering

Personally, I do not have any special concern for any specific (non-human) animals. To me, all animals have as much "intrinsic" value in my mind, whether it be a dog, chicken, cat, pig, lizard, cow, rat, etc.

However, I generally get very distressed when I see another sentient being put through suffering, and I think that if we kill them we should do it in a way that doesn't cause them to suffer for too long (ideally not at all). However, if they're killed quickly (ideally painlessly) for what I see to be a justifiable reason (like disease control, scientific research or food) I'm okay with that. For example, I saw some video where a dog was hit in the head and then slaughtered for meat, and I didn't really care at all considering it was knocked unconscious and probably died painlessly (I know I'm going to get hate for this). However, I get upset hearing about people torturing dogs and such, but that feeling would be evoked with similar magnitude if it was done on any other sentient animals like rats and cows. I also oppose dogfighting, fox hunting, horsefighting, cockfighting and bullfighting equally. Also, I often get disconcerted seeing injured earthworms, snails and crabs and tend to euthanize them if I see they're mortally wounded even if I get a bit dirty, the reason being that I tend to give them the benefit of the doubt.

I know in most places in the world the concern for animals is limited or exacerbated when it comes to dogs and cats, but personally in my book, any animal with enough of a nervous system to for sentient suffering gets my equal concern (much like Jeremy Bentham's "The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer?"), though I typically give special concern for people (and some sentimentality about great apes). Also, I do give special concern to the individual animals that are pets of people, but this is not species-restricted (though most of the time sentient pets are dogs and cats). Otherwise the only main concerns are sustainability and conservation.

Is it normal to hold this view?

Voting Results
62% Normal
Based on 34 votes (21 yes)
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Comments ( 5 )
  • Holzman_67

    well a quick death is a simple death so to speak and not so easy to dwell on.
    When it is drawn out it becomes more disturbing because it is more distressing for the subject involved due to the suffering incurred.
    I think this is normal.

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  • Aliceee93

    Cow!
    Yano you want to see how these halal meat slaughter houses kill cattle it is actually sick.

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    • I have seen some videos of it and it's actually just like what is done outside of the EU and Anglo-America, but I actually prefer "humane meat" considering that I prefer it doesn't feel pain not only because it's more merciful but also because stress negatively affects meat quality.

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      • Aliceee93

        It's still wrong. The animal should be stunned first. Than feel the pain of there neck being cut open.

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        • The less suffering the better. The thing is that in poorer countries the people don't have the money, technology let alone knowledge of physiology to pull off humane slaughter.

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