I have two children — two human children, to be clear. The fact that I actually have to clarify what species my children are is annoying, nonsensical, and demonstrates how far down the rabbit hole of absurdity our society has plunged. If you doubt the need for my clarification, let me introduce you to a recent study that reveals that many humans love dogs more than they love other humans.

First, though, let me make it clear that dogs are not humans. Dogs are not even close to being humans, and treating them even remotely like a human is a self-contradictory action. Yet, as the Independent points out, “According to two studies, we’re more likely to empathise with struggling dogs than people in difficulty.”

One of the studies began with the researchers circulating two solicitations for donations. Both solicitations asked, “Would you give £5 to save Harrison from a slow, painful death?” In one, Harrison was a human boy; in the other, a dog. Guess which Harrison received the most positive responses.

Harrison the dog.

Not long after the British researchers conducted their sociological experiment involving the two Harrisons, two researchers at Northeastern University conducted their own research.

Professors Jack Levin and Arnold Arluke mailed fictional articles to 240 people. They then examined the opinions prompted by the articles.

“Arriving on the scene a few minutes after the attack, a police officer found the victim with one broken leg, multiple lacerations, and unconscious. No arrests have been made in the case,” one fictional police report read.

Another fictional report “concerned the beating of a one-year-old child and a second an adult in his 30s. The other two were about a puppy or a six-year-old dog being abused,” according to The Daily Mail.

The article goes on to report:

The difference in empathy between child and puppy was “statistically non-significant,” but the dog garnered more feeling than the adult. … “Respondents were less significantly less distressed when adult humans were victimized,” researchers wrote. The findings suggest that people really do see dogs as members of the family.

Don’t allow the “statistically non-significant” difference in empathy between the puppy and human child demonstrated by the respondents slip by you. Humans should always ALWAYS feel more empathy toward a human child than a dog. In fact, adult humans should receive more empathy than a dog.

Dogs are not humans. Dogs are not as valuable as humans. Dogs do not love like humans, nor do they receive love like humans. They react purely on instinct. Within a Christian worldview, it’s clearly taught that humans are made in the Image of God. Animals are not, and that includes dogs.

Should humans abuse dogs? No, of course not. Furthermore, if a human does abuse a dog, that human should be prosecuted and punished. But, unless society understands that there is a hierarchy between humans and animals, that society is on the path to instituting laws that make it harder for humans to flourish (see this). Stop treating dogs like humans.