Most people have accepted that most animals feel pain.  However, it's still widely underestimated how much invertabrae feel pain.  Until very recently when studies proved otherwise (2004), people considered fishing to be humane as they claimed fish don't feel pain.

Although where maggots and worms are used as bait, it seems the fish aren't the only ones who suffer.  The earthworm's nervous system secretes an opiate substance, used by humans to calm down pain, when it has been injured.  The fact that they wiggle on the hook should also be a clear sign of discomfort.

Koko is a gorilla who's practically infamous due to the amount of incredible stories her carers at the Gorilla Foundation, have to tell.(please click here for access to Koko's website)  When Koko meets people for the first time, she gives them the "blow test" by blowing into their faces.  She also uses sign language to ask people questions about themselves.  She asks people if they have "fake tooth?" to see if they have any fillings and will also sometimes ask to see the contents of their suitcase or purse.  She also likes to comment on their jewelry and clothes or show visitors her collection of toys and posters on her wall.

 

When searching animal's emotions on the internet, I came across a chatpage where this exact subject was being discussed.  The following story is a really nice one; 'When I lived on a ranch there were feral pigs. These were domestic pigs that had escaped and gone wild. The hunters (accidentally) shot and killed a sow and brought me her piglets to raise. I bottle fed them and they grew up quite tame and atttached to me. The male developed a strange habit. When I would be hanging up clothes on the line outdoors, he loved to sneak up behind and grunt loudly. This would startle me and I would jump and sometimes even scream if I was sufficiently surprised. He would then make a strange chortling noise and run around me in circles in apparent glee. I took this for a sense of humor or at least the joy of playing a practical joke. He thought it was much funnier than I did.' Coral Rhedd Foxes have been observed trying to catch worms which isn't as easy a task as it sounds.  Worms, when they can feel themselves being pulled up, tend to cling onto mounds of earth so they that can't be pulled up.  Foxes have been seen to use their claws to 'tickle' the worms until they let go!