I appreciate the personal stories, as they show that the waters are not as crystal clear as one would hope (at least, I see why it's not clear to others). And I really am sorry for your sister, Bingo. But to me, the value of a human life does not depend on how much someone has bonded with it. That value is innate, in my opinion. People often treat mammals much more kindly than they do to reptiles. I suppose this is because we can better detect the emotions in mammals, can relate more closely to their nature, and maybe even their appearance. But I, and I imagine you Bingo, are deeply hurt when someone mistreats a reptile or an amphibian. I remember when I was young, I found a horned toad. I showed it to a friend of mine, who started picking it up and throwing it around. I don't believe he had thrown it hard enough or from high enough to do any serious damage, but I was horrified, and when he wasn't looking, I took it and hid it where he couldn't find it. I felt that its value didn't depend on how much my friend had grown attached to it. It was a living creature that deserved further life.

I may sound like a hypocrite as I much on my pasta with meat sauce, but I favor the humane treatment of animals, even if they are to be killed. But a human life, even an undeveloped one, is even infinitely more valuable than an animal to me.

Again, thank you for sharing your story. I mean that genuinely.