Well, I think the boundary is that aamlnis killed for consumption are usually killed quickly and humanely.As to why society would make animal abuse illegal, well, we recognize that they feel pain, and as humans inflicing unneccessary suffering on any creature is frowned upon generally. Or at least, it is more now than it used to be. I think its true, generally, that people who like inflicting pain on aamlnis are desensitized as well to inflicting pain on humans. Most serial killers start out by abusing aamlnis.As for the lobster vs cow, I see both methods as equally painless. We do tend to be more concerned about warm furry critters than cold-blooded ones.