I am particularly interested in the way we have come to 'own', as a species, a distorted view of the relationship between Humanity and Animals.

Humanity is a pragmatic species.  Animals are more other-worldly.  They can teach us the Humility we need to find our true spiritual connection to The Universe. In return we MUST come to regard ourselves as their Compassionate Stewards.  But Man perpetually refuses to succumb to this intuitive understanding.  Instead He (i.e., the powers that be amongst us) finds it more self serving to emphasise EITHER the difference between the species, in order to deny animals their basic rights - such as to not be tortured! - OR, mistakenly emphasises the 'sameness' - such as many animal rights activists do..which can be counter-productive because it implies that animals have a right to be free from cruelty ONLY IF they are enough like us to deserve that!  Both perspectives are two sides of the one coin;