Comment by krisoft

> These pets are domesticated.

Undoubtedly true.

> They are evolving via natural selection to be suited for living in houses, they already pretty much can’t live in the wild.

Ok? What you say can be true, and at the same time many pets can suffer too. Unsuitable housing, neglectfull or worse owners, bad circumstances. Evolution doesn’t guarantee happiness of individuals.

> the dog would rather be alive than not alive at all

That is a deep philosophical question. I have my doubts. But if it is true, why are you not breeding dogs at an industrial scale? After all every dog who could have been born but wasnt would be rather alive, if i hear you correctly. That is millions of potential dogs not born who you could have bread during your lifetime if you were more efficient about it.

> You don’t shoot an old person just because he has hip pain.

That is a great reason for not putting down old Fido and replacing him with a robot dog. I wouldn’t recommend that.

On the other hand if we just breed less dogs, and get robot pets to the people who are circumstantially, habitually, or emotionally less suited to have a living one. That way they can fulfill their emotional need without torturing a living animal.