> So it’s OK to be cruel to species that aren’t endangered?
Then my apologies, it's an appeal to emotions + moving the goalpost.
It's ok for people to do things you may disapprove of as long as it's legal.
Like own other people as slaves? I don't think I agree.
Making something legal does not magically make it morally acceptable. Conversely, there are countless example of things that are currently legal that are morally deplorable.