. . .

Rabbits are expendable. Chickens are expendable, Cats are expendable. Dogs are expendable. Humans are also expendable, but we do not want people who would expire humans among us. We talk via-positive about the victim, but the reason is to limit via-negative the predator.

We cannot cooperate with a dog. It is sentient, borderline conscious, and certainly not rational. And therefore it cannot possess or make use of ‘rights’.

So while we would not people among us who cause suffering to animals, and while we would not want our dogs to suffer, that is a question of constraining in-group behavior, not out-group defense.