Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of those around us. It reflects the capacity of one person to experience the emotional feelings of another. It is one of the most complex and integral emotions, so only a handful of species have this trait, including humans. However, many scientific studies have observed in animals the ability to empathize with and mirror others’ pain. Just like humans, they are able to feel and display empathy and compassion toward their owners and other species.
And in order to prove that, we collected 20 pictures of animals to share with you. These pictures will show you that animals are capable of thinking and feeling. They are even able to show compassion and empathy toward humans and animals. Scroll down to check for yourself!
1. “He acts like he doesn’t care, but he’s the best cat dad ever. Banjo won’t move unless Snacks does.”
2. “My cat always holds my hand and stays with me whenever I’m feeling down.”
3. A puppy taking care of a foster kitten
4. This adopted pit can’t stop hugging its new owner.
5. Recently came home from deployment. My sweet pup stared like this the entire drive home from the airport.
6. 3 lion cubs feeding on the milk of a mother dog
7. An orangutan lending a helping hand to a man clearing away snakes from a conservation forest area
8. Hugging each other before going to the vet
9. Helping their shorter friend get some snacks
10. “The baby was crying while I was in the bathroom but suddenly stopped. I came out to find this.”
11. “My rabbit is 10 years old and has trouble cleaning himself now. Colby stepped up to the plate.”
12. The cat holds this sick doggo’s hand to comfort it when it’s sick.
13. “Our goat lost her mother when she was very young. Since that day, our llama has not left our goat’s side.”
14. A baby hippo was separated from his family by a tsunami. This 103-year-old tortoise became his best friend.
15. A mother cat nursing a baby skunk who lost its mom
16. After being missing for 4 days, this dog was found protecting these orphaned kitties.
17. We all need a friend like this.
18. Guarding the ducks so they can eat in peace
19. “Digby protects Newt whenever there are fireworks outside. When she gets nervous and shakes, he licks her head.”
20. “Our herding dog spent the day guarding Bambi until the mom came! Wilson is a dang good boy.”
Do you agree with us that animals have feelings? If you have pics of animals showing compassion and empathy, feel free to share them with us in the comments below! Don’t forget to share this article with your friends and family members!