The only evidence that we have that humans have the sensation of consciousness is our own experience and the assumption that we're not special. Dogs might share

The only evidence that we have that humans have the sensation of consciousness is our own experience and the assumption that we're not special. Dogs might share with us this sensation of consciousness, or a less crisp sensation, or none at all. We have no way of knowing. Personally I think it's appropriate to behave as though they have the sensation of consciousness even as we concede the gap in our knowledge. And even if we didn't go that far, quite frankly I think the distress caused to humans by the appearance of distress caused to dogs is sufficient reason to not torture dogs. On the other hand, if I'm asked about factory farming of cows and chickens, the question I ask myself is "would I prefer if this chicken had a short, uneventful and (by human standards) meaningless life or if it never existed in the first place" and I'm unconvinced that either option can be confidently declared preferable.