there's this weird defense mechanism people have where they assume victims of crime deserve it so that we don't have to acknowledge that the problem of unprovoked/undeserved mugging and assault exist. but that doesn't extend to animals, also part of a human superiority that assumes animals can't make choices or be naturally inclined toward violence. thus they are seen to be as innocent as small children. that's why we have Kick/Pet The Dog tropes. people consider a person's treatment of animals to be a somehow more significant and reliable way to judge them than their treatment of people. so mistreating even one animal, regardless of mental or emotional state, is enough to turn the world against you, even though you'd expect that evolution would generally turn our focus to the human victims...