ITS NOT EITHER-OR! High regard & sensitivity toward/ empathy for animals usually

translates into the same for the HUMANS in one's life.

This whole false dichotomy of humans VS. animals is just plain weird. And wrong. Its simply NOT an either-or thing. Loving & caring for the well being of animals does not preclude loving and caring for human beings.

IF ANYTHING its the opposite - if youre sensitive to suffering in animals you're sensitive to the same in humans.

The correlation between abuse and mistreatment of animals and abuse/mistreatment of people is well established. Abusers/murderers often get the their start on animals.

Coming from a childhood home of abuse, I can honestly say I learned to love from my pets.

The psychological mechanism that allows people to kill other people is - you make the other person into an "animal" in your mind.... a lesser being whose life has no value. If you value animal life and see and recognize the life shining in their eyes then you will abhor the thought of extinguishing that light whether its an animal or human - if one chooses to hunt for subsistence or raise animals for food then that will still be done with care and respect for the animal and never for thrill or some sick twisted sense of satisfaction.

And one more thing...

My feelings of grief over senseless slaughter of endangered animals (as well as senseless environmental degradation that is leading to accelerating mass extinctions) is partly grief for us, the dominant species who will still be here, lonely and grieving