There has been a lot of response to this topic so I thought I would add
my bit.  I have dogs, cats and chickens of which the cats and chickens
are free to roam.  The cats are often seen sitting on top of the
beehives and actively hunt mice from this vantage point.  The hens also
are often to be found scratching around the hives.  Neither of these
animals seem to be bothered by the bees.  However a few years back I
read about a woman who had her hives fenced off to stop sheep or cattle
knocking them over.  She also kept hens and for some reason put three of
them into the beehive enclosure.  Two of the hens were later found dead
and the third almost dead.  They had been attacked by the bees and could
not escape!  So it is important if you keep animals and bees that the
animals are free to run away. (I have often had to run away myself!!)
 
Harry
Scotland