An animal's life is worth just as much as a human's.

I apologize, I should have clarified; I mean to say that pets are equal in BOTH intrinsic value and instrumental value. I should have made this clear. I am saying that it is equally immoral to kill an animal as a human, and that an animal is worth just as much as a human. I am trying to make a point that animals should be treated as being worth just as much as a human. My first argument was centered around their instrumental value, but I have another argument which I will get to in a few moments. Now, I question some of your 4 statements at the end. While your 3rd and 4th statements were valid, I question the first two. 1. Many of us care about our pets just as much as our family, and consider them to be a part of our family. This is a relative statement, and cannot be called valid. 2. I would argue that this does not make a relationship with a pet any less special than a relationship with a friend or family member. Something that is more common or applies to everyone, is not necessarily better than something that applies to less people. Now, I have a second argument to make, which is that, overall, the human race has less moral fiber than dogs and cats. Dogs, in particular, are respectful, kind, and obedient, and cats display some of these qualities as well. Humans, while this does not apply to every single one of them, have a tendency to be selfish, disrespectful, defiant, and uncaring of consequences. Again, many humans are great people, but this is an overview of our general race, not its specific people. Humans have done much to both the Earth and its other species in its pursuit of luxury and comfort. Animals have contributed nothing to this. Who created pollution? It certainly wasn't a dog or cat, or any kind of an animal. Humans have destroyed habitats, captured animals just for people's entertainment, and drained most of the Earth's resources, all to benefit itself. Animals don't do any of these things. Animals are pure of heart and know their place, while humans seem to think they are the most important species in the world, when in reality they are the most destructive. What I am saying here is that we have no right to say that animals are less valuable than us. Their emotional ranges are equal to ours, and they, at least, aren't openly destructive of their environment and every living thing in it. A last note that I would like to add (this is entirely subjective), is that a relationship with a pet is something just a special as a relationship with a friend. A pet IS a friend, in fact, and can also be considered a part of a family. When I need somebody to talk to or interact with, I tend to turn to my dog and/or cat. And a lot of people feel the same. Their intrinsic value is something that is hard to argue because it is, as I said, subjective, but I have tried my best here. In conclusion (since this is the last round), from my first point, animals are quite helpful to us. I'll give you that they don't help us as much as we do, but they do help us. They also, at least, don't kill us for no reason like we do ourselves. From my second point, animals are purer of heart than we are and have more moral fiber considering that they don't destroy us and our world like we do theirs.