Its sad seeing people here trying to debate but not going beyond the narrative that is presented. Beyond the question asked. One can do that and still add to the conversation, also answer the question.

Ethics, ethical: pertaining to or dealing with morals or the principles of morality; pertaining to right and wrong in conduct.

It was ethical for humans at one point to say that people with darker skin colour were soul-less. It was also ethical and legal to kill them, torture them. It was ethical and legal to arrive at a land, call it americas (north, south and central) and just build on it, killing and enslaving the people already there. Also disregarding their name for the land. Giving it a new name, setting up imaginary lines. Installing a monarchy, a government. All this because they COULD do it. Because they had guns and soldiers.

Today it is still ethical to pay people to murder animals, just so you dont have to. The taking of the life is almost not as bad as the rest that happens. They are kept in shitty conditions. Cows are inseminated (raped repeatedly) so they can get pregnant and give milk. Milk which is supposed to go their little ones.

But to sum it up. We do what we want as we have always done. We are slowly recognizing some things are not ethical, as we have done so with africans and women even. Or anyone that was weaker at some point (because of the advantage of guns or etc).

Humans still thinks that ownership is something real. There are no possessions. Its an idea. The reality of possessions is that every living being has the right to possess everything here on earth. For those of you who are confused, read project venus. Its either the ideal or something very close to it.

So therefore, animals are not our possessions. Plants dont feel pain, they dont have a nervous system. Animals are sentient.

edit: mainly, killing animals yourself isnt as wrong as having this horrible industry set-up. If you have to survive, then its survival. Otherwise its greed.

The concept of ownership is primitive and started out being unconscious. Owning something is the wish to use it, to have it.

We have evolved since Neanderthals but we haven't evolved the concept of ownership much.

Go beyond what is asked. Like right now with this question. Animals have irrational and unconscious wishes to have things. Be it food or sticks. To have something is to use it. It goes deeper than that but it doesnt matter.

So, going beyond: Ownership itself exists and itself belongs to every living being. Earth is living since it provides and keeps us alive. All life is a living being.

So ownership is of all of them, all of us. No one greater. So this is the answer, totally.

Everything has everything, everything is shared. There is no money, no private land in the sense of capitalism.

Are you confused yet? Read "project venus" and go crazy then.

Confusion, anger or denial means you're enveloped into the archaic mind. The answer is understanding, the evolving with it.