Famous Pets

Sergeant Stubby (1916–1926): A stray Boston Terrier, Stubby became the most decorated dog of World War I. Serving with the 102nd Infantry in France, he warned soldiers of gas attacks, located wounded men, and caught a German spy by biting his trousers. Awarded multiple medals, Stubby’s story inspired the 2018 animated film Sgt. Stubby, cementing his legacy as a symbol of loyalty.

Balto (1919–1933): This Siberian Husky led a sled team 674 miles through a 1925 Alaskan blizzard to deliver diphtheria antitoxin to Nome, saving countless children. Balto’s statue in Central Park, erected in 1925, draws thousands annually, and his tale inspired the 1995 film Balto, highlighting canine heroism.

Barry (1800–1814): A Saint Bernard at the Great St. Bernard Hospice in Switzerland, Barry rescued over 40 people lost in the Alps, including a child he warmed and carried to safety. His legend fueled the breed’s fame, and his preserved body in Bern’s Natural History Museum attracts 100,000 visitors yearly, symbolizing selfless bravery.

Laika (1954–1957): The first animal in space, this Soviet stray dog orbited Earth aboard Sputnik 2 in 1957. Laika’s mission proved living beings could survive spaceflight, paving the way for human astronauts, though her death sparked global ethical debates. Her image on Russian stamps and monuments endures as a bittersweet icon of progress.

Félicette (1963): The only cat sent to space, Félicette, a French stray, survived a 1963 suborbital flight, reaching 100 miles altitude. Her EEG