Shoe: It's what's for dinner

Why are humans always so protective of their shoes? I started to chew on Brian Mosteller's shoes today (he's a Deputy Director of Something-Or-Other), and he stopped me before I could get a good bite! They were made of that soft, expensive leather... Mmmmm... and smelled delicious. I don't know what his problem was, but I'll tell you this: he takes those shoes off for one second, and they're MINE.