Musar for Bava Metzia 63:8
מצוה מן התורה לפרוק אבל לא לטעון ר"ש אומר אף לטעון
<b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. IF HE FINDS IT [AN ANIMAL] IN A STABLE, HE HAS NO RESPONSIBILITY TOWARD IT [TO RETURN IT];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is discussed in the Gemara. ');"><sup>7</sup></span>
Mesilat Yesharim
Included in this matter is to not cause pain to any creature, even animals, and to show mercy and concern towards them. Likewise scripture states: "the righteous man knows the soul of his beast" (Mishlei 12:10) (Rashi-what his beast needs), and according to some of our sages (Shabbat 128b), to cause pain to an animal is a biblical prohibition, while to others it is at least a Rabbinical prohibition.
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