Pets have such a special place in our hearts but did you know there are some pets who hold a special place in history? May is National Pet Month and this month we are taking a look at some of history’s most famous pets! From the Queen’s corgis to Smoky the Yorkie, these are the 4 famous pets of history you need to know.
The Queen of Elizabeth’s Corgis
Did you know that the Queen of Elizabeth is believed to have owned at least 30 corgis throughout her 70-year reign! The Queen is an avid animal lover and as of 2022 she owns 4 dogs: 2 corgis, 1 dorgi, and a new cocker spaniel named Candy. According to the DailyMail, her new cocker spaniel, which is a first for the corgi loving Queen, is a prize winner! Competing in the 91st Kennel Club Cocker Spaniel Championship. Candy, formerly known as Wolferton Drama, beat 38 other other cocker spaniels in the chance to be crowned champion. Seems fitting for a Queen, no?
Valentino’s Six Pugs
Valentino is an Italian fashion designer and pug lover. He has been quoted as once saying, “I don’t care about the collection. My dogs are more important.” Milton, Monty, Maude, Margot, Maggie, and Molly are the names of his 6 jet-setting, diamond wearing, couture loving pugs. Valentino has been noted as loving all of the silly snorts and snores pugs are notorious for. Unfortunately, in 2013, Milton, also known as Mamba, passed away. You can watch an incredible Valentino interview at this link. Viewer Warning: his pugs totally steal the show
Smoky the Yorkie
When you think of hero dogs you probably think of big dogs like a Husky, German Sheppard, or even Labradors. But this tiny pup helped save as many as 250 lives during WWII. Yep, you read that right! A small Yorkie named Smoky was a famous war dog weighing in at only 4 pounds but what Smoky lacked in weight, Smoky made up in heart and bravery.
Initially believed to be a pet of the Japanese, the Americans realized that couldn’t be the case when Smoky could not understand commands in Japanese. Smoky Served in the South Pacific with the 5th Air Force, 26th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron and flew 12 air/sea rescue and photo reconnaissance missions. Smoky’s small stature and incredible intelligence helped American forces and Allies stay clear of places where they would be in danger of enemy bombings.
Smoky’s brave work as a soldier helped to reinvigorate an interest in the once obscure Yorkshire Terrier.
Snowball the Cat
When most people think of cats, they think of the aloof and mischievous loner. However, one cat used their mischievous and elusive traits to help solve a curious murder that seemed to have only dead ends. Using a blood and fur sample from Snowball the Cat, investigators were able to identify the murderer of 32-year-old woman, Shirley Duguay. How were the able to get Snowball’s fur? The investigators found a leather jacket at the scene of the crime with exactly 27 hairs. The murder occurred on Prince Edward Island, an isolated island with a high population of cats, which posed an issue– the majority of the cats on the island would likely be related. Fortunately, there were enough hairs to narrow down the cat and its owner, Beamish. You can learn more about Snowball the Cat and the murder mystery at this link.
Grumpy the Cat
The cat that stole the Internet and became a staple in pop culture, Grumpy the Cat aka Tardar Sauce was known for its adorable and permanently grumpy face a result of an underbite and dwarfism. She first became prominent on Reddit and from there, her Internet career took the world by storm! She became the face of a popular meme which often depicted cynical thoughts and feelings. As of August 23, 2020, Grumpy Cat had 8.3 million total likes on Facebook, 2.6 million followers on Instagram 1.5 million followers on Twitter and 283,000 subscribers on YouTube. In 2019, Tardar Sauce, aka Grumpy the Cat, died peacefully at home after contracting a urinary tract infection.
