Can we be sad for others?

Even if we ourselves don’t actually take part in the grisly act of murdering animals themselves, we give permission for others to do it. We don’t feel as sad for them as we do for ourselves. We actively support what ‘they’ do to laboratory rats and farmed pigs.
It seems that some humans are able to hurt animals without a second thought. Some can’t. Although those who can’t would have nightmares if they saw what went on they avoid that by simply not-looking. It seems that many of us kind hearted people can stand by and watch yet not-watch. It’s a little like watching the school bully beat up a small kid in the playground and pretend we are witnessing a fiction. For some it may be thrilling. For some it’s not.
Imagine the pig being a victim of bullying, taken to its most extreme form - the pig at the slaughter house being pushed into that chute where they will have their life terminated. This is where we could feel the nastiest prick of conscience. When we ignore it, when we don’t respond, when we still don’t do anything about it, that’s when guilt can make us feel uncomfortable. We might try to justify it, to lessen the guilt. And because it is just about impossible to justify the way we abuse animals we have to retreat into self-deception - we are forced to objectify what can’t ever be just an object.