Suppose a free man has a dog; the dog is the man's property. The man neglects the dog: never feeds it, leaves it out in the snow, chains it to a tree 24/7, beats it. Is there any recourse for the dog?
Suppose the free man's children were neglected: malnourished, no coat or protective shoes for the snow, no care for their health, forced isolation in their room after school and chores, no friends allowed, beats the kids. Any recourse for them?
Suppose the free man has an aquarium of tropical fish he has neglected to care for: filthy water, diseased fish gasping for air, etc. The man's visiting friend sees the fish suffering, brings it to the attention of the man, but the man doesn't care and does nothing. Do the fish have recourse?
See where I'm going? Your thoughts?