Walt Disney has a lot to answer for.

Much is often made of the fact that we have a ROYAL Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (and for the protection of birds for that matter) but only a NATIONAL Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children - the inference being that we care more about our animals than our children. Rubbish of course, but we do seem to rather lose our sense of proportion where animals are concerned. Latest example is of a man who was taken to court by the RSPCA for drowning a squirrel which he had caught in his back garden and, although conditionally discharged, has ended up having to pay some £1500 in costs. Despite looking somewhat appealing, squirrel are vermin - "rats with tails" - so how exactly are you supposed to rid yourselves of them? Official line is that you should trap them and then take them to the vet to be humanely put down - at a cost of £30 a pop. See what I mean?