Roxanne Gasana, deputy news editor

People proudly say, “I love animals more than people,” as though it’s some cute and harmless statement. The fact this saying has become widespread makes me question the way society has begun viewing their fellow man.

Take into consideration the videos online that feature unhoused people with their pets. Someone could post a video of a person living on the street with their dog, and almost immediately, the internet springs into action. People practically beg to donate money to buy food for the dog, and others want to fundraise to get the dog into a home. But what about the person? Sure, the dog is overheating and hungry, but how can we look right past the human being sitting right next to the dog?

This isn’t a one-off occurrence but something that repeats itself over and over. People see an animal suffering and feel compelled to help. But when the one suffering is a person, the reaction somehow becomes complicated.

This can be seen throughout the genocide in Gaza. People have organised fundraisers to rescue and feed animals caught in the destruction. One fundraiser dedicated to providing food and veterinary care for cats and dogs garnered over $11,000.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to rescue animals, but watching people rally around dogs, cats, and donkeys in the middle of a humanitarian crisis makes me insanely uncomfortable. Where is that same urgency for the men, women and children who are dying?

I believe part of the answer may be that animals are easier to love.

Pets do not argue with you, they don’t criticize you or your actions. They don’t question your views. They are completely dependent on their caregivers. You feel needed, appreciated and loved without having to deal with the complexity of people.

People all have different opinions, personalities, backgrounds, problems and expectations. We can be annoying, selfish, ungrateful and unpredictable. Interacting and helping people requires patience and sacrifice, and sometimes you help someone who cannot give you anything in return. A dog won’t challenge your politics or tell you that you’re wrong, but a human being will do just that.

It is so strange to me that society can become so passionate about animal rights and welfare while the suffering of people around us doesn’t get the same amount of attention. People spend hundreds of dollars on a pet, donate to shelters and share emotional rescue stories, while children and vulnerable people are left to rely on bare minimum governmental assistance or charitable funding that fluctuates, and then we congratulate each other and pat ourselves on the back for being compassionate. It is so backwards of us.

This isn’t some argument against worrying about animals, because animals suffer too and they deserve to be treated humanely. There is nothing wrong with loving animals and caring deeply about their welfare and rights, but what I find ridiculous is the idea that loving animals makes more sense than loving people.

A casual form of misanthropy, holding contempt for mankind, is growing in society and becoming normalised. People are seen as inherently evil, while animals are almost always viewed as pure and innocent. “I trust my dog more than I trust people.” “Animals are better than humans.” “I would save my dog before I would save a stranger.” I guarantee we have all heard some variation of these phrases before, and we laugh or agree when people say these things, but they deserve to be criticised because when did having compassion towards animals become an excuse for misanthropy?

Compassion shouldn’t be a limited resource we give out, and it definitely shouldn’t be some sort of competition between humans and animals. If society is willing to spend its time, money and energy to protect animals while ignoring people that are struggling right beside them, it would be wise to take a hard look at our priorities and values.

Both the homeless person and the dog deserve food. The animals in Palestine deserve protection, but so do the people. Orphaned and starving children deserve the same urgency we give to abandoned puppies. You can love your dog, rescue the stray cat you saw last week and donate to your neighbour’s shelter, but do not tell me you love animals more than people as though it is something that deserves praise.

If your compassion only extends to things that are easy to love, the problem isn’t that people are unloveable, but you have stopped trying to love them.