I doubt many people would like to lick their butts after pooping, but that is still perfectly normal & healthy behavior for an animal. We are not the same, so to compare our needs/wants with theirs isn't exactly valid.
That being said, I think this issue really depends on the type of animal we're discussing. For example, my dog is taken out multiple times per day, and I do let my two younger cats go outside at night if they ask... my oldest cat is deaf, so she can't safely be outside (and never cared to even before losing her hearing) especially since we're in a big city.
Now we get to my snakes (small-medium pythons & colubrids), who are safely caged at all times - except when I'm cleaning their enclosures, and occasionally to let them slither around with supervision. For one thing, they are mostly non-native species bred in the US, so to let them roam free could damage our ecosystem. Secondly, their natural habitat in the wild usually consists of abandoned termite mounds or ant hills - so they are perfectly content in their precisely heated tubs with hidey caves. Not only that, but they have a fresh water source (bowl) within neck's reach, and a fresh rodent magically appears every 7-10 days! If given the choice, I have a feeling they'd stay put in their comfy enclosures. ;-)
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