In a nation of animal lovers it was only a matter of time before pet food producers cut out the middleman and started to appeal direct to the consumers. Last week saw Britain's first television broadcast targeted directly at pets with a commercial aimed at selling cat food to cats. But it is not only on the small screen that animals are being given priority. The pet-friendly advertisement for a top brand of cat food was designed to excite the feline sensibilities with a series of abstract multi-coloured shapes drifting across the screen accompanied by the sounds of birds cheeping and mice squeaking. Animal behaviourists were recruited by Pedigree Petfoods to design the commercial which producers said would appeal to 60 per cent of cats. The feline experts claimed the domesticated animals would respond to different stimuli from humans and twitch their ears to let their owners know what excited their appetites. Sceptics said their pets showed little interest in the broadcast and the stunt was little more than a clever attempt to get the public talking about a product which is fighting for brand share in a competitive market. Surveys show that many people, especially the elderly, are willing to spend more on pet food than on their own meals, as manufacturers produce increasingly sophisticated and expensive products. Pets' spiritual wellbeing is also being taken care of. Next month sees the launch in London of a book of Christian services for animals, including a burial service, healing liturgy and Eucharistic prayers. The 14 liturgies have been compiled by the Reverend Professor Andrew Linzey, a fellow of Mansfield College, Oxford, where he holds the world's first post in Christian Theology and Animal Welfare. Many churches hold regular animal blessing services but until now there has been no authorised liturgy for animals. The theologian has written a rite for healing, which can include the laying on of hands and the use of holy oil with prayer, a liturgy for a vigil for animals suffering exploitation from human beings and litanies for the protection of those at risk. While the Church of England reserves judgment on the new services, one animal welfare case has provoked outrage across the nation. Last week a custody battle began over an orphaned chimpanzee to prevent her from being returned to a circus trainer who was convicted of 12 counts of cruelty after being filmed whipping and kicking the chimp. A monkey sanctuary taking temporary care of 18-month old Trudy said it had been inundated with calls from people offering to care for her. A national newspaper launched a campaign to prevent her from being returned to the circus and politicians leapt to Trudy's defence. Mary Chipperfield, the youngest member of a 300-year-old circus family, will be sentenced next month for a catalogue of crimes against Trudy. She was exposed by an undercover team of animal rights campaigners who secretly filmed her ill-treating the chimpanzee, and her husband cruelly treating a circus elephant. The outcry looks likely to bring to an end Chipperfield's once popular and respected circus and animal training business. Politicians have already promised to introduce tougher regulations on animal welfare that will make it difficult for entertainers to use performing animals. While there is no suggestion the team who exposed the cruelty in the circus behaved in any way illegally, other groups of animal activists are less scrupulous when it comes to fighting for their cause. In 1997 more than 800 acts of violence were reported by campaigners for animal welfare, including attacks on doctors, restaurants, supermarkets, and other shops. Thankfully no one was killed in the violence but the attacks resulted in a number of people being injured, and the total damage was estimated at more than GBP1.8 million (HK$22.9 million), though in previous years the figure has been higher, and in 1995 the cost was put at nearly GBP4.5 million. A consultation paper published at the end of last year on new legislation for the prevention of terrorism specifically deals with the need to try to control animal rights activists. The Home Office paper notes that the level of terrorism by such groups is not particularly sophisticated but warns there is nothing to suggest that the threat they pose will go away. Another area in which animal rights are being given a new priority is on the farm. Farmers complain that while the public is willing to support tough regulations that require better treatment of animals they are not prepared to pay the price. Laws on animal husbandry are stricter than elsewhere in Europe which means higher costs than for farmers elsewhere on the continent. Most consumers chose to buy the cheaper produce while demanding the domestic farmers observe the higher standards. Before the last election in 1997 the Labour Party promised to launch a royal commission into man's relationship with non-human species. So far the government has delayed implementing this manifesto promise but when it does there can be little doubt that there will be a fierce debate between the rival interests.