Empathy: Do Animals Get More Than People?

WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA) -- Several weeks ago, we aired the story about "Phoenix"; the poor dog that was set afire in Baltimore, and emails poured in for days.

Thursday night, we told you the story of Clarence Dews, a 76-year-old man, former boxing champ, literally beaten to death in his own DC neighborhood. We heard from no one.

Is there something about human beings that makes us more sympathetic to cruelty perpetrated on animals, rather than when the same thing is done to people?

I put the question to Dr. Randall Lockwood, Senior VP with the American society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. For the last 25 years, he's been helping law enforcers track down and prosecute dog fighters and other criminals.

He says he's heard the question many times.

"These are dangerous people...science has now documented the fact that people who hurt animals...are certainly capable of hurting human beings," he said. So its partially about fear. But mostly it seems, about rage.

"In general people can relate to the suffering of animals...almost everybody has had a pet at some point in there lives...nd they recognize usually they've done nothing to deserve the horrible treatment that they've had."

And as for Michael Vick, Dr. Lockwood says he's willing to see Vick get a second chance and renew his football career. And he says while he is not sure if such people can be rehabilitated, he hopes so.