I've always found that the people who turn up at ralies or speak up at forums or in letters to the newspapers on issues relating to injustice and cruelty are the exact same people whether the victims of the injustice are pets, wild animals or humans. They are also the same people who speak up about related issues like destruction of natural ecosystems. The focus differs slightly but we are all saying the same thing really aren't we?
As I speak there is a baby orphaned magpie on my head. She'll go away soon, with her wild friends, just like the kids did. I don't quite know how that fits in the discussion but somehow it seems to.