[kirklancaster]

A successful film has us 'suspending our disbelief', for example, we KNOW that the film is fictionary, but if we 'lose' ourselves in the film we suspend our disbelief and emotionally react to every plot point in the exact manner in which the writers wanted us to; laughing at the funny bits, falling in love with the protaganist, hating on the antagonist, and becoming teary at the sad bits.

So it is natural that the 'animal lovers' among us will be moved then by an animal's 'on screen' death or trauma - despite the rider that 'No animals were hurt or injured during the making of this film' etc.

I have a suspect personality, because I often cannot contain my joy whenever the 'baddie' gets it, but cry when an animal suffers.

Ammi's 'Bambi's Mum' example is a killer.