I assume that the timing of this long-known-but-rarely-discussed issue becoming a major fact-checked, ridiculed, talked-about, proven and expanded-on (adrenochrome) meme was arranged by the Trump campaign and/or other White Hats. It is pure genius.

Compared to humans, dogs and cats are all feeling and emotion. Dogs (and cats) help open us up to our own feelings and bring our love to the foreground. There is too-little love in the lives of most people -- probably more true of Woke lefties than of well-grounded MAGA types -- and that effect makes us feel strongly bonded to our pets.

Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, author of Dogs Never Lie About Love and other books, says that "love is the master emotion of dogs." Any pet owner can FEEL that reality (unless they're seriously closed off to it) and since love is a core need for humans -- see Jesus' words on Love in John:
13:34 - 13:35 -- our dogs (or cats) become far more important to us than many non-pet-owners might think.

The emotional punch of this cruelty to animals thing is huge and I suspect the effects will continue to grow. It's a crowbar into the healthy (but often buried or stunted) emotions of millions.