Throughout history, animals have played some of the most whimsical and unexpected roles in shaping human stories. From making scientific breakthroughs possible to becoming the mascots of movements or savoring a humble place in our mythology, our fellow earthlings have been more than just companions—they’ve been legends.
Take Laika, for instance, the erstwhile stray who donned a space suit and became the first animal to orbit the earth. In 1957, Laika went from scavenging the streets of Moscow to playing a pivotal role in space exploration. She didn’t return, but her journey paved the way for human spaceflight, a kind of celestial companionship that’s hard to forget.
But Laika isn’t alone in this pantheon of iconic animals. Consider Cher Ami, the pigeon that saved nearly 200 soldiers during the First World War. His last mission involved carrying a message when cut off by the Germans. Severely wounded, Cher Ami still completed his journey, and his pigeon heroics earned him a place at the Smithsonian.
In a more leisurely pursuit, we have Hachiko, the loyal Akita who became Japan’s symbol of unwavering fidelity. Awaiting his deceased owner’s return at a train station for almost a decade, Hachiko became a fixture in local lore, eventually becoming a national symbol, with his story reaching worldwide hearts.
Yet, animals have occasionally had a less felicitous but no less fascinating impact. Cats, long considered mysterious and sometimes ominous in medieval times, were exterminated en masse because they were thought to be witches’ familiars. Ironically, this cat phobia contributed to the spread of the Bubonic plague, as the rodent population flourished without its feline deterrents.
On a more whimsical note, there’s Lulu, a Vietnamese Pot-Bellied pig, who, upon her owner having a heart attack, ran into the streets to attract help, ultimately saving her life. Lulu’s heroics are a reminder that intelligence and empathy may wear many different faces.
Such tales, woven with the invisible thread connecting animals and humans, illuminate the quirky legacies these creatures etched into history, always leaving a pawprint, a feather, or a hoof mark where they tread.
The quirky legacies of animals throughout history
