Kitten Feeders

One The first things people say when they find out I have a snake is, "aren't you afraid it will eat your cats?" Usually I don't even bother explaining that the snake is in a tank, and just point out that my real fear (and this is true, btw) is that the cat will eat the snake.

I gotta say that from what I've seen, once someone views any life as expendable or worthless, they're much more likely to have a diminished view of human life as well. I don't know if slaughterhouse workers in other countries face the same mental issues. It would be interesting to see if anyone has done a study. Is it cultural or innate? Butchers used to be looked down upon, lowest caste, in many cultures, what caused that? Very interesting subject.

I would kind of put life expectancy as one determination of value of a life. As in, a dog's life (12-15 years) is worth more than a mouse's life (1 year). Also intelligence and capacity for mental suffering and/or having the capacity to grieve the loss of a mate/companion. There are probably other criteria people tend to go by, even across cultures. Another interesting subject!

It is not that life is expendable or worthless, quite contrary it has value and you do not take it unless necessary. As for a view of animal life effecting a view of human life, that has too many factors to gauge. I do not even seen them in the same spectrum.
My personal religious beliefs lead me to believe only humans have souls (they are the only ones spoken about that require baptism) and the only ones spoken of in the afterlife (in the bible anyway). I also believe based on religious beliefs that as humans we were here to placed in charge of the earth and animals around it and it's our job to take care of them.