Why is there so much emphasize in the bible to the practice above? I think it is not so much the animal as the instinct. For when a person openly gives up something of valve to the G-D they realize who the true owner is. They might be in a possession of such an item for a period of time but G-D is the one who keeps it all going. This occurs whether we are right and especially when we are wrong. Sacrifice isn’t therefore about giving up as releasing who it really belongs to and how grateful we have the time to enjoy it while we are here.