Nonhuman animals occupy an ambiguous space in the moral landscape. People care about other animals, but also engage in the activity of meat eating. The presentation contributes a psychological analysis of morality, empathy and human-animal relations. Drawing on key works from the field of moral psychology, the presentation will shed light on a range of social and cognitive factors that might explain disengagement of morality and empathy towards some animals, but not others. Furthermore the presentation will connect these theoretical insights to practical issues of activism – how can psychology help us become more effective advocates and activists?