I do too. I knew a family who took in some racoon pups (what do you call baby racoons?) after their mother disappeared. we got to play with them. They are very cool animals.
Seems to me you're concentrating your "hug" too much in one area, Scoates. Try hugging yourself around the shoulders -- you won't scare people as much that way.
Yes, I believe my thought was that it was a genetic defect. Didn't you take the opposing point of view, that it was a conscious choice, and therefore he deserved no sympathy?