In this episode of People Fuss, Carrie and Doug gently spiral into one of life’s weirdest questions: why do we rationalize some forms of animal deaths but not others? From rooting for cheetahs in nature documentaries to ugly-crying over dead pets, they unpack empathy, hypocrisy, hunting, vegan detours, steakhouse guilt, and the emotional math we all do to get through dinner. They talk pet culture, predators, hunters, former vegans turned ethical hunters, trophy hunting mind-f*cks, factory farming horrors, Reddit debates, and why mammals get all the tears while fish… do not. Plus: snake-feeding childhoods, murderous cats, heroic penguin photographers, and the comforting realization that yes — David Attenborough cries too (just not on camera).

There are no perfect answers here — just curiosity, tenderness, contradictions, and a reminder that feeling deeply about life and death might actually be a sign you’re doing something right.