Most people are not philosophers or activists. We are consumers. We love our cats but eat burgers. We wear wool but hate the idea of mulesing (a painful practice in sheep shearing).

The Global Evolution of Animal Welfare and Rights: Ethics, Law, and Future Horizons

Procedures like debeaking, tail-docking, and castration are frequently performed without anesthesia.

In the 17th century, French philosopher René Descartes posited the mechanistic view of animals. He argued that animals were mere machines ( bête-machine ) lacking a rational soul and, consequently, the capacity to feel pain. This philosophical stance provided a moral "blank check" for vivisection and unchecked exploitation, as actions against animals were viewed no differently than actions against a clock.