Some animals are pets, some are wild, and many of them provide us with food. All have a different - and important - role in our lives.
It is easy to forget that the steak at the supermarket once formed part of a steer. But without domestic animals such as chickens and cattle, we would all be vegetarians, or a great deal of our time would need to be spent hunting. …
For children, pets can be both fun and instructive. If a child cares for a pet, he or she learns to take responsibility for another being. Watching kittens or puppies being born can be a natural form of sex education. For children, as for adults, pets are loving companions and a help in tough time.
As I recall, a Latvian chief once said, "Without our brothers, the animals, we would all be very lonely." I believe he was right.