The Victorians loved pets. Perhaps that's why the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (now the RSPCA) was founded years before any such programs were formed to protect children! In a world without automobiles, it's not surprising that the horse was often as beloved a companion as a dog. Cats, on the other hand, weren't terribly popular as pets, and an 1891 article wonders that anyone could "love" a cat. But the definition of "pet" often went far beyond dogs and cats. Many Victorians had quite a menagerie of exotic pets. Naturalist Eliza Brightwen wrote several articles about the wild creatures that passed through her home, including a mongoose and a stag beetle. And of course magazine readers delighted in getting a glimpse of royal pets.
The Strand, in its constant quest for articles on the odd and eccentric, covered many performing animal acts, from a dog orchestra to diving horses. Animals also "worked" in some unusual jobs; dogs, for instance, served as smugglers in Gibraltar and as ambulance assistants in Germany.
One thing is certain - in Victorian times, "a dog's life" wasn't necessarily a bad thing!
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