I'm not saying dogs deserve bad things. In fact, I think they are probable capable of most of the emotions we experience.
On the other hand, I really don't like people who claim men are 'something special', and because we are unique and beautiful snowflakes, Lord's favorite snowflakes as some claim, we can fu(k this planet up.
Elephants, crows, vultures, squid, chimpanzees.. all of them use tools. Elephants probably have their own language. I mean, 300 distinct signals that may or may not be arranged in sentences seems enough for a language. And they're way smarter than dogs. Cats are particularily dim. They're superb predators, but not social, so they lack a big part of intelligence we have.
The only thing that separates us from those animals is that we are much better at technology, and smarter, on average. There seems to be no qualitative difference. Well.. maybe writing, but really.
What needs to be recognized is, that we are part of nature, and we shouldn't put our own interests- large parking lots, cheap beef, ahead of ecosystems. (not that I dislike meat, but in the US, you are downright peculiar about your beeft...- did you know that one professor was not hired for some agricultural university post because he wrote.. I kid you not.. that "cows eat grass*" ?)
*the all-powerful corn and e-coli lobby doesn' like that kind of statements. E-coli is so prevalent in meat because cows fed corn have stomach enviroments e-coli likes more..afaik.
