Once again, Barry has just said what I wanted to, and done it better!
I live with one dog, and four cats, and I am lucky to have them. They are my family, and make my messy house a home.
Although they are all affectionate, entertaining, and the cats are independant, I don't expect these things from them.
I get extraordinary pleasure from watching them, touching them - they don't need to do anything for my devotion.
I too, think it's easy to love animals for what they can do for us, but we must keep widening that circle to include all - even the ones that may scare us (a grizzly in the bed!), that spider in the bathtub, and so on.
Animals (non human ones, that is), are so often seen in the light of what they can do for us, whether that be comfort, entertainment, labour,
to food, clothing and laboratory testing.
It's time to respect each one as an individual who exists solely for themselves, and if we are lucky enough to really know a few of them, well we are the priveleged ones.