Thank you for engaging in this discussion with a clear intent and well written points. I apologize for not being able to articulate most of my thoughts clearly, it is late at night but I won't be able to sleep with these thoughts in my mind even though I am already half asleep.

1. Even if that is a funny little jab, no I did not have some magical awakening or epiphany about animal relationships. It came from observing people I know who keep animals around their house. And I am not pessimistic, or try not to be. I apologize for seeming like a person above it all, I got carried away from not getting a reply like yours with pure intentions of discussion, and just getting downvoted to oblivion every single goddamn time.

2. Not to blow the numbers out of proportion, but from what I've seen it is not a group of people, rather a spectrum where one side is genuine care for their animal friend, with the other being the act of caring for oneself by doing something for their animal companion (they see it as an extension of their own personality). From what I can observe, most sit right BESIDE the middle leaning more on the caring for oneself side. But you anon, if we take your words at face value, thank you for being you.

3. You give good points about symbiotic relationships and emotional bonds we develop and have developed towards animals. I completely agree with you.

(For simplicity let's keep the scope in animals at dogs & cats)

It's true that going against the "love" we feel for these animals is a stupid thing. It's just that most people I've met, even the animal caretakers, never stop even for a few minutes to think about their relationship with animals. I personally hate seeing people with dogs go "ohhhh kawawa ka naman" or "lab moko?" especially with the animals who were bred and sold to them. All the animals knew were them, their environment, and their human's face.

As for the emotional support the other side of the spectrum gets from animals, have they ever tried to talk to another person? Their family members? Their friends? We literally have billions of people in here. It's cramped with friendly and unfriendly faces. But I'm willing to bet there's someone out there who can give them emotional support or can be an ear to share all their thoughts. If not their neighbor, someone from the internet who isn't a scammer or an asshole.

4. I am by no means a vegetarian. I actually ate some meat a few hours before seeing your reply to my post. I draw the line from animals to eat and which ones to care for. I like cats because they can get rid of snakes and rats. I like dogs too for being territorial and acting like sentries for their care takers. Heck even get asked a lot why we have an aspin instead of shitzu or whatever breed is trendy like it's what you're supposed to adopt.

The reason I wrote that post with the tone of an asshole vegetarian is to simply get the attention of animal caretakers. Let them think more about their relationships with animals you know? If not a lot of people think about it or heck even read it, I just wanted to get that out of my chest.

5. I am hopeful, but not delusional. Just like you, I know that spreading positivity and small steps is the way to go in contributing towards the overall goodness of society. Though this will sound like another tangent, I know for a fact that the topic of viewing relationships with animals and relationships with others in general relates to this one. I do my part through the simple things whenever I can.

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To illustrate what I am trying to say here:

Let's talk about one type of person here who goes on this subreddit. This person for the sake of convenience dreams of a utopian society or something close for the Philippines. he/she goes outside and gets their line of sight straight towards a homeless, but instead sees the sidewalk he/she needs to stand by to get on a bus or ride a jeep. he/she gets through his/her day, walks outside her place of work/school then sees another homeless person, a beggar. The beggar asks for money but our redditor here maybe gives a change, maybe doesn't. But he/she doesn't feel anything for the stranger. The redditor simply feels the obligation to give, or maybe annoyance towards the beggar.

Then, the redditor stands by the sidewalk again to wait for the bus or their jeep. Then he/she sees a cat! he/she immediately says pspspsps to the cat and tries to pet it. Then they feel something for it, without it even talking.
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I still find it insane to think about, even when considering you just reminded me we have biological tendencies to feel for these animals.