I recently saw a story on Instagram claiming that the English TV talent show judge Simon Cowell intends to leave his estimated $600 million fortune to charities that help abandoned animals.

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The full story is slightly more nuanced: Cowell has reportedly spoken of supporting both animal welfare charities and children's charities. Nevertheless, it raises an uncomfortable question about our charitable priorities.

Why are we often more emotionally moved by the story of an abandoned dog than a neglected child?

I love animals. Bruno, our naughty beagle, is adorable. They deserve protection from cruelty, neglect and abandonment. The people who rescue and care for them do valuable work.

But when enormously wealthy people direct vast fortunes towards animals while children are being abused, neglected and moved from home to home, I cannot help feeling there is something profoundly wrong with our moral compass.

Ten years ago, my partner, Brendan, and I decided to become foster carers.

I should confess that I was not someone who had always dreamed of fostering children. To be honest, it was my worst nightmare. But Brendan, the wise one, won out and I thank him every day for such foresight. At that point in my life, I didn't give much thought to children at all. But we opened our home, and John arrived.

His mum had significant mental health issues and simply could not look after him. She didn't have a partner, and there were no other family members around. John had been through a lot of trauma.

In many ways, John arrived abandoned, frightened, wounded and uncertain whether he could trust the people around him. He needed safety, patience, nourishment, opportunity and, above all, a family that would not........

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