Very insightful post, with plenty for newbies to think about!There are not enough *good homes* for cats and dogs, and there are a lot more unwanted roosters out there that are not going to be able to find a *good home* than there are cats and dogs dying at the pound every day.
I am somewhat dumfounded by folks who refuse to think about eating chickens and all those "chicken rescues", "retirement farms", etc., but then I have to wonder if people from some other cultures have the same reaction when they see our animal shelters overflowing with perfectly edible dogs and cats. People in some Asian countries are breeding dogs strictly for meat, and we're over here spending millions on toys and trinkets, and writing them into our wills.
I guess it's all about the culture we are raised in. There are a lot of people raised in the contemporary American culture of supermarket food and Disney movies who don't connect the chicken nuggets they had for lunch with the little darlings scratching in their backyard.