Question: What is the Church’s position on the treatment of animals? My vegetarian friend believes it is immoral to kill animals even for food. We recently hired an exterminator to eliminate rodents. This friend implied we should humanely capture them and release them, instead of killing them. This is not the company’s way, and it has not worked in the past. Is there a moral issue here, or just someone's opinion? Answer: The short answer to your question is that while we are morally obliged to treat animals decently and avoid animal cruelty, it is morally licit to kill animals for food or certain other legitimate purposes. The Catechism of the Catholic Church addresses this issue in paragraph 2417: "God…