There’s nothing quite like the description “animal lover” to engender good will towards politicians. When Sir David Amess MP was tragically murdered last October, of the many just causes he championed one was singled out above all others as evidence of his good character: his animal welfare activism.  Amess was one of very few lifelong parliamentary campaigners for animal rights. He was not so unusual in being an MP who owned a pet. However not all are such genuine devotees. Politicians have long used a variety of species to curry good will and to create a general air of kindliness.  One blatant example was David Cameron’s staged hugs with Arctic-dwelling huskies whilst on a mission in 2006 to shed his party’s unfortunate “nasty” label. The Obama family’s Portuguese water dogs gained international adoration, bolstering belief in the President’s regular family values and his relatability. So many American politicians pick up pups that commentators invented the term “puppaganda”. Donald ...