I always remember the scene in Jurassic Park when they try to feed a goat to the T-Rex, he doesn't show up, and then Jeff Goldblum says "T-Rex doesn’t want to be fed. He wants to hunt."

This seems partially to be like that, mostly out of compassion. Nobody wants their pet to be hunted like in the wild, but at least the rest of the process can continue.

I think of this line (and the general sentiment) a lot in life. I don't want to be handed a reward. I want to earn it.