10 Monuments Devoted to Animals That Deserve to Be Remembered by Humans

Animals can be incredible companions during the hardest adventures and we should probably try to remember their courage, loyalty, and fondness more. Every story is different but they all have one thing in common: the unbreakable bond between humans and animals.

We at Bright Side have collected 10 monuments around the world you should visit because the stories of these animals have left a mark on our hearts and made us love them even more.

1. Statue of Balto, NYC, United States

Balto became a hero in 1925 when a diphtheria outbreak threatened the town of Nome, Alaska. The medicine was 700 miles away and his team had to face a snowstorm in a 53-mile long journey to save the town. Balto led the incredibly dangerous expedition brilliantly.

2. Monument to laboratory mice, Novosibirsk, Russia

This peculiar statue is dedicated to laboratory animals and mice, which have always played a central role in scientific discoveries since they’re the most used test subjects. Founded in 1957, the Institute of Cytology and Genetics in Novosibirsk was devoted to the study of genetics.

3. Towser, Glenturrent Distillery, Scotland, UK

From 1963 to 1987, Towser had been the official rodent catcher of the Glenturrent Distillery. She won the title of “World’s Greatest Mouser” in The Guinness Book of World Records after catching 28,899 mice over her lifetime. Her owners decided to honor her with a memorial statue outside the shop.

4. Winnipeg the Bear Statue, London, UK

Many people don’t know that the character of Winnie the Pooh was based on an actual bear who was adopted by Lieutenant Harry Colebourn during the WWI. The cub became the mascot of his regiment and in 1915 she was left in the care of the London Zoo where Christopher Robin eventually fell in love with her and decided to name his toy after the cub.

5. Hamish McHamish, St. Andrews, Scotland, UK

Hamish McHamish became famous on social media and people used to go to St. Andrews just to see him. He was the cat of the BBC producer Marianne Baird, who always left him free to roam around the streets of the town. After he died in 2014, the town dedicated a bronze statue to him.

6. Statue of Hachiko and Hidesaburo Ueno, Tokyo, Japan

Hachiko is one of the most beloved dogs in the world, famous because for having kept going to Shibuya Train Station every day for over 9 years to wait for his owner, Professor Ueno. Today, you can admire this statue of Hachi and Ueno inside the campus of the University of Tokyo where Ueno was a professor.

7. Wojtek the Soldier Bear Memorial, Scotland, UK

Wojtek the bear was adopted by a group of Polish soldiers in Iran in 1942. The cub quickly became important to boost morale and learned to salute and carry supplies. At the end of the war, Wojtek was moved to the Edinburgh Zoo, where today, you can admire this commemorative statue.

8. Monument to Fido, Florence, Italy

Fido used to hang out every day in the square of Florence where his owner, Carlo, used to take the bus. Fido kept going to the square for more than 5,000 days and in 1957, a statue of Fido was unveiled.

9. Space Dog Laika, Moscow, Russia

Laika was the first animal to orbit Earth and was among the first animals in space. She took part in an experiment in 1957, a test to see if she could survive being launched into orbit. She died a few hours after the launch. Since 2008, the monument has been free to visit near the military research center in Moscow.

10. Secretariat Statue, KY Horse Park, United States

Secretariat is considered, by many, to be the best racehorse to ever exist in United States history. It had been the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years. His record-breaking victory in the Belmont Stakes, which he won by 31 lengths, is widely regarded as one of the greatest in horse race history.

11. The statue of Tombili, Istanbul, Turkey

Tombili was a street cat who lived in Istanbul. She was known for her way of leaning against steps and became famous on social media also thanks to pictures modified with photoshop and memes in which she was portrayed with glasses and other fun accessories.

Did you already know the stories of these amazing animals? Are there other incredible stories you would include in this list? Let us know in the comments!