DO WE GRIEVE FOR ANIMALS MORE THAN PEOPLE?

That may be a strange question and yes, of course we grieve for family members and friends that die but......I was very sad when I heard that Sam the koala had to be put to sleep 'cos she was very ill - who will ever forget the wonderful pics of the fireman giving her water to drink? - and then this month I felt much sadness when I heard of the death of Mr Percival the pelican from that fantastic movie 'Storm Boy' made in South Australia 1976. He was 33 and he'd had a great life at the Adelaide Zoo with a nice wife and had fathered a number of children.
We see pictures of animals being rescued from some pretty weird and wonderful places and are so relieved they are OK and recently when our dear cat Henry died suddenly in his sleep not only us but our family and friends expressed their sorrow when they heard about his demise. Some of course would say "but he was only a cat". To us of course he was Henry.
What worries me is this....are we being desensitised about what happens to humans, particularly adult ones? There is so much violence depicted on TV (if you choose to watch) and in movies (which I definitely choose not to watch) and then there are those dreadful videos games that young people play where they seem to have the desire to put someone or something to death. On top of all that we hear daily of people being blown up by terrorists and the like; all to what purpose one can't help wondering.
I am beginning to despair about the future of the human race, apart from global warming, because of all the events that are taking place everywhere. I personally cannot understand why people hate each other because of race, religion etc., but then I have always tried to live by the philosophy of "live and let live". I try to respect other peope's beliefs even if I don't understand or agree with them but feel they are entitled to believe what they will as long as those beliefs don't impinge on the lives of others.
I think most of my family members are reasonably tolerant of others but even then there are exceptions which I feel is a pity but it happens.
I don't have many years left on this earth (I am now 77) but I would like to think that there is hope for the human race for many centuries to come and that peace and understanding will take over before total destruction of all that I love about this world takes place.
I have no control over any of it but wish I could leave my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren a legacy of loving each other and living peaceful lives for many years to come.