This is one of those very many quintessentially British imperial traditions that I adore

Unrelated to the above but relevant to the parent: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nils_Olav

Edit: ok this takes the cake, especially temporary demotion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Windsor_(goat)

> Unrelated to the above but relevant to the parent: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nils_Olav

> […] On 15 August 2008 he was awarded a knighthood. He is the first penguin to receive such an honour in the Norwegian army.

Wait, other penguins have previously been knighted in non-Norwegian armies? Is there an Order of Penguin Knights out there?

> Edit: ok this takes the cake, especially temporary demotion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Windsor_(goat)

The reasons for temporary demotion are hilarious:

> [D]espite being ordered to keep in line, he refused to obey. He failed to keep in step,[16] and tried to headbutt a drummer. […]

> Billy was charged with "unacceptable behaviour", "lack of decorum" and "disobeying a direct order", and had to appear before his commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Huw James. Following a disciplinary hearing, he was demoted to fusilier.

As were the consequences:

> The change meant that other fusiliers in the regiment no longer had to stand to attention when Billy walked past, as they had to when he was a lance corporal.

edit:

the end paragraph about other goat troubles in the british army is mind-blowing in its britishness:

> At one time a royal goat was "prostituted" by being offered for stud services by the regiment's serving goat major to a Wrexham goat breeder. First charged with lèse majesté, the goat major was ultimately court-martialled under the lesser charge of "disrespect to an officer" and reduced in rank. The goat major claimed he did it out of compassion for the goat, but this failed to impress the court.

> Another royal fusilier goat earned the nickname "the rebel", after he butted a colonel while he was stooped over fixing his uniform's trouser-strap. The incident was described as a "disgraceful act of insubordination."

Can't believe I've just seen Wrexham mentioned on Hacker News! That's where I grew up :)

I think this is a more interesting example. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wojtek_(bear)

As the bear was less than a year old, he initially had problems swallowing and was fed with condensed milk from an emptied vodka bottle. The bear was subsequently fed with fruit, marmalade, honey and syrup, and was often rewarded with beer, which became his favourite drink. He also enjoyed smoking and eating cigarettes

It could also be the moment when some of us integrity engineers finally find the proper name for the helper task thats supposed to be running in the background to catch bugs when they happen..

I remember when the papers gleefully seized on the fact that Cameron, apparently, doesn't like cats and refused to have another in 10 Downing Street. What sort of world leader hates cats after all.

Also relevant: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tama_(cat)

DC doesn't hate cats, he likes them very much... with butter sauce and potatoes, washed down with a nice big glass of the tears of the people.

> What sort of world leader hates cats after all.

The tosser sort, obviously.

> the Treasury authorised the Office Keeper "to spend 1d a day from petty cash towards the maintenance of an efficient cat"

One wonder what was the official cat duties that had to be performed in an efficient way.

One could read the article linked in the OP to get a list, should one want to prior to commenting. I realize that's not How It's Done here, but it's a thought.