Here's an interesting article via Vox Nova.com from a Catholic perspective regarding the relationship between man and animals in the realm of pets.

…from that point in history when humanity came into existence, humanity
has played some sort of soteriological role for animals. Indeed, he
suggested that we were meant to help establish peaceful relationship
between different species of animals — a role which, even if we failed
to accomplish, remains with us and can be seen to have some fulfillment
as we help pets of different species have peaceful relations with each
other:

While the role pets play is wonderful, the role our domesticated food animals play is wonderful as well. You don't need to be a vegetarian to understand how the concept of stewardship extends to cows and pigs, nor do you have to be Catholic. (emphasis added)

While many have complained about the way pet-owners humanize their pets,
because they believe pets are being treated too anthropomorphically,
perhaps the answer to this complaint is to accept what is being said and
to go on with it and complete it. That is, instead of disputing with
this fact, we should admit we are indeed anthropomorphizing our pets,
and this is because we are meant to do so, similar to how God deifies
us. It is natural to do so because it is what we are expected to do. We
are mediating God’s grace to animals, and this grace should raise them
up beyond their current status until they find their proper place in the
eschaton.