If you spend anything more than 60 seconds per year agonizing over this issue then I think you have way too much time on your hands and maybe some questionable priorities. There must be at least 1,000 topics of concern more important than this. Really.

Disclaimer – No Orcas were psychologically harmed in the writing of this comment.

Reply to Richard:
I know what you mean about PETA’s puzzling narrow focus on orcas while ignoring the rather broad issue of keeping wild creatures in captivity.
But, the problem of domesticated animals is not quite the same because most of them could not survive in the wild and those that could might cause more trouble than you would expect.
Case in point: wild burros.
Those that are descended from the old California ranchero burros could live in the hills without intruding into urban areas or damaging native habitat for deer. But, after the well-meaning but badly-worked out rescue of burros from faraway places who were adopted by people with rural properties, many of the feral burros were either turned loose or got out somehow. Now they often live in herds of more than 25 members. They are destroying the landscape by eating everything in sight and go into urban residential areas to graze. They are now so aggressive, if you try to shoo them away, they will attack.
Nobody seems to know what to do, but they are protected and the wild deer are not. Neither are the people.
Domestic animals, like dogs and cats, are able to bond with humans as if we were all the same species. In fact, especially with dogs, humans have a kind of symbiotic relationship. They protect us by announcing arrivals of people who have crossed into our home-turf and keep us company, we provide them with food and shelter and so forth. The problem comes in with mistreatment or abuse by human “owners”, not with the basic arrangement between domestic canines and domestic humans.
Domestic animals would benefit from more sensitivity from us humans, but we don’t need to feel guilty for keeping them if we treat them the way we would like to be treated were we in their place. This really needs to be a voluntary decision. Coercion does not produce the desired results.
I think, as long as domestic animals are treated humanely, we are doing well. You have to understand that some domestic animals yearn for the other side of the fence, but once out they face sometimes insurmountable dangers. If they are let loose by their owners, most feel the trauma of abandonment. So, we don’t do them any favors by letting them fend for themselves. We have a moral responsibility to those who are dependent on us.

Indeed, ANY mammal (mammals are given more status by animal rights advocates than the other creatures of the earth) should “by rights” be ascribed the same “free Willy” status. Horses, dogs, cats, etc. Should not cows be given the same sacred status as those placid behemoths wandering India’s streets?

Perhaps it’s on PETA’s “do do” list. But I suspect they make an exception for THEIR pets.

Translation…….sick puppy!

I read your comment but cannot get what you are talking about. Please would you translate into the lingua franca.