Don’t talk about ‘progress’ in terms of longevity, safety, or comfort before comparing zoo animals to those of wilderness.

I think you can say the same to some extent for pets. Even though they have been domesticated to the point of questionable ability to survive in the wild, they stare wistfully out windows & patio doors (cats) or whine to go outdoors and yearn to be off-leash (dogs) because their instincts are to be free and in nature. Which is why, against all advice, I allow my two cats to go outdoors during the day on condition that they come in at sunset with the nasty predators start coming out. And we have achieved detente on that trade-off, which is the best you can ever hope for with a cat.

Little side story. (Those that don't like anything beyond 144 characters can just move along. ) One of my cats befriended a "community cat". Looked too well-fed and groomed to be totally wild; didn't appear lost. My cat normally chased others off his territory, but not this one. Invited it in to share his food and water. While initially skittish and ran at the sight of me, she became more careful if wary. Then one day she showed up in pretty bad shape after tangling with something. How bad, she wouldn't let me get close enough to find out and no way was going to allow me to take her to a vet. She went to a couch in a spare room. I brought her food and water, put down a litter box which she knew to use. That went on for about a week. Then she ventured out, stood at the patio door eying the outside. I figured the sun outside would do her some good and she wasn't strong enough to get over the fence. Wrong. It took two running attempts, but she vaulted the fence and has never been seen again. One of those neighborhood websites had a post the next day about a cat matching her description dead on the roadway a couple of blocks away. I'm guessing she decided death was imminent and summoned all her remaining strength to make sure she could die free in the wild as she had preferred to live.