At one time animals were part of an eco-system cycle in a farmstead. Chickens, for example, would keep the count of flies down on the farm, provide eggs, feathers and also become food at the end of a collaborative existence; Sheep and goats, wool, milk, etc.. Cats were also useful for keeping rodents low; geese are great intruder alarms, etc...
Dogs and horses have had a special standing with humans since they provided nomadic independance for hunting and transportation. Often, cultures have revered these animals as companions rather than food.
Pigs do not travel well so they were a great garbage/literine/feces disposal animals to the Romans as well as a food supply. Many cultures thought of pigs as filthy and refuse to eat them to this day (called the religious pig divide).
Today, food animals have been commoditized and indutrialized to the extent that their crap is considered industrial waste. Meat prices are set on the stock market. And, twisted dogmas have been set to separate what is a pet from a food across many cultures; cows are sacred in one culture while dogs are food in another.

But wait... there are MANY places where cows and pigs aren't on the menu. And dogs and cats ARE in others. I don't eat any of those, ever. But the poor chicken... seems like they're considered to be the universally accepted meat for those who eat meat at all. Traveling in rural S.E. Asia I saw about the only living thing they don't eat is children.... wait, maybe they do. IDK.

Every organic being that walks, swims, slithers or blows across this planet is food. Including humans. Walk up to a hungry bear and see if you're exempt from the food chain.

Hint: You're not.

Our earliest animal companions were dogs. They participated in the hunt, guarded our villages, and learned behavior that endeared themselves to humans. Cats came some time later and helped control rodents and other vermin that spread diseases.

Basically, we adopted dogs and cats as family members because they developed mutually beneficial relationships with us.

how come we think its ok to kill all wildlife to build homes, roads etc? just because we are breeding too much.

I don't think of any of them as food. I don't eat animals or their products. But to answer your question in general, yeah, I agree it is culture specific.

It's just different cultural norms. Some cultures eat dogs. Guinea pigs were originally bred to be food. Some people do keep pigs and cows as pets. In general, types of animals that work (e.g., dogs, horses) are less likely to be seen as food sources.

Guinea pigs are food in South America!! horses in France ! there is fish etticut too! In Uk never eat carp! Poland eat carp lol .. delicay .. ooh fish lol

Nom lol

Some people think of chickens and cows as pets too.

Our next door neighbors has a pet turkey.

In some countries dogs and even cats are considered food.

I think it is all moslty cultural, and can depend on availability of food in general as to wha tis considered to be food and what are considered to be pets.

Working on it. I won't knowingly eat lamb or veal-babies. My daughter is pretty much vegetarian, and I will probably follow suit one of these days when I quit being so lazy.

Eating dogs is just barbaric. No feedback on that statement, please, because all you'll get back from me is a big "fuck you," so don't bother.

Well you can't cuddle a cow and the last pig I had in my bed was my ex. Oh, and pig and cow are tasty. I couldn't tell you what dog or cat taste like, but I'm cool that some might like a Malaysian Happy Meal.

It is a combination of culture and ancient necessity. Dogs could help hunt and give the alarm or even fight for us. Cats helped to keep down rodents that would steal grain and cause disease. Other animals such as horses have use and have become pets. Meat animals were simple to tame, and easy to keep yet we're not as useful for other 'work' and thus became meat animals. This is changing rapidly as people now in domesticated countries keep animals such as pigs and goats as pets.

omnovoric people will eat meat, fish and veg...if meat is prepared and you don't know what it is then you will eat it if you like meat..curried, roasted or boiled...most things taste of chicken...even snake....

hmmm, Fiona, Lady, Princess Layer, Cleopatra and Duchess would disagree with this.

Because dogs and cats are more intelligent and more sociable with humans. It's simple.

My best friend is Filipino, and I’ve visited his family. Dogs are both pets and food there. Asia is often joked about for using cats and dogs as food. Pigs have become popular pets in the past few years.

The problem is, we live in a universe that is set up where the species achieve needed energy through the life of something else... whether that’s a plant or an animal. In that sense, I love the way the Native Americans treated their food—with respect and gratitude.

The same reason people are appalled by other culture's religions.

Taste and dogs helped us hunt. Before they became lazy shits who just curl up in front of the fire and eat all the scraps

It's just cultural, I'd eat a dog if nothing else was available... I wouldn't eat MY dog though, I know where she's been.

Pigs are delicious and if they were really that smart they wouldn't get eaten. Cow's are dumb as hell even if they might be a bit sensitve. Chickens are just all around ass hats that deserve to be eaten. But kittes are just so damn adorable.

Because they are delicious, and yield a bunch of good byproducts as well, like eggs & feathers, milk, lard, etc.

Pigs ckicken and cows are pets, you just can't train them, so hence food. ( Smile )

I think of this time every time I hear about people in other parts of the world eating dogs, cats or horses.

Who drew the lines which we "can't" cross? It is rather random.