BFFs since forever: Pets & their People throughout History

Gergana
3 min readMar 13, 2024

--

You know how we (pet owners) love talking about our pets? Well, guess what, it’s been happening for a reaaaally long time…like forever!

So, picture this: cuddle time with your favourite furry friend. Now imagine that happening for thousands of years! That’s basically the story of humans and animals. We’ve been best buds since way back when, with animals helping us hunt, chill at home, and even explore new places.

Pets on Epic Journeys

Speaking of exploring, guess who was the first living creature to orbit the Earth? The DOG Laika! Although a very sad story (since she never returned), she paved the way for space exploration and humans landing on the moon.

Another famous dog called Bothie is the first and only dog to visit both the North and South Poles.

Pets have always been there for the big moments, and in ancient times, they were even like rockstars.

The Egyptians worshipped cats as these super graceful, lucky beings, and the Romans had dogs as their security guards and buddies.

Photo by Bo Ponomari from Pexels

From Explorers to YouTubers

Fast forward to today, and our animal friends are mega-famous! Forget movie stars — the new A-listers are cats like Grumpy Cat (who, let’s be honest, wasn’t that grumpy…RIP) and Doug the Pug, who, in his own words, is the “king of pop culture”.

They have millions of fans who love their silly videos and endless cuteness. It just shows that no matter how much the world changes, our love for animal companions is here to stay.

“In a world of trends, pets remain timeless.”

The Stories Behind the Likes and Shares

But here’s the thing — fame isn’t always sunshine and belly rubs. There are some super heartwarming stories behind all the likes and shares.

Hachiko, this amazing Akita dog, waited for his owner at a train station every single day, even after his owner passed away (I’m not crying, you’re crying). Talk about loyalty!

Photo of the faithful dog Hachiko (1923–1935) by Unknown (public domain)

And then there’s Togo, a sled dog who helped save a whole town and was named “the most heroic animal of all time” by Time magazine. These animals are the heroes we don’t deserve, and their devotion is seriously inspiring. Their unforgettable stories have been brought to life in movies, bringing them to international fame.

Famous for 15 Minutes (and Beyond!)

The internet, of course, has made it even easier for pets to become celebrities. We’ve got Jiff the Pom, who’s basically a walking ball of fluff, and our own CEO Lindoro Incapaz looking all majestic (or absolutely goofy — there’s no middle ground) on his social media pages.

Lindoro acting as the Boss he is — follow him on Petme

But internet stars don’t stop with cats and dogs…my personal favourites are actually raccoons! They’re, in my opinion, the absolute hands-down true rockstars of the internet. Just look at them!!

Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on Unsplash

Even celebs like Taylor Swift have famous pets who share the spotlight. But with all this fame, we gotta remember that these animals are still, well, animals. They deserve all the love and care in the world, not just because they’re popular.

So, the next time you cuddle up with your furry friend, remember — you’re not just hanging out with a pet, you’re hanging out with a piece of history!

These amazing creatures have been by our side for ages, teaching us about love, loyalty, and the power of friendship. Pretty cool, huh?

--

--

Gergana

Co-founder at Petme (www.petme.social) | Crazy cat lady | IP lawyer in my free time.