From the furry to the feathered, Arizona is home to extraordinary animals that have captured hearts and minds.
The Grand Canyon State is full of extraordinary animals, from coyotes to roadrunners, javelinas, and even jaguars. Arizonans also proudly love their pets, from dogs and cats to parakeets and turtles. And among all these critters, whether at home with their humans or out in Arizona’s beautiful wild, some truly stand out and become viral animal stars. This can lead to attention from local (or even national) news sources, merchandising deals, partnerships with businesses and charities, or just a whole lot of social media likes and shares.
What makes an animal go viral? Whether it’s an inspiring story, a distinctive appearance, or a mix of both, there’s always a reason. But who are Arizona’s animal stars? Let’s ruffle some feathers, get some tails wagging, and have a look:
Benji/Kismet, the Chihuahua who found his forever home
A cute dog being rescued after having been abandoned? Heartwarming! That same cute dog getting adopted by one of his rescuers? Now that’s how you get a viral animal story.
In the city of Surprise, Arizona police were called in after a horrifying case of a chihuahua being thrown out of a car and left on the side of the road. Luckily, a kind bystander rescued the pup and contacted the local PD, which came to his aid. Although the dog, Benji, was later placed in the care of the Arizona Humane Society, an officer from the Surprise Police Department couldn’t forget the little guy, and proceeded to adopt him! Now renamed Kismet, he’s thriving in his forever home!
Bob the rescue hummingbird
Bob the hummingbird isn’t a born-and-raised Arizonan; in fact, he first became known when he got a little lost and ended up in Nebraska! Bob, a juvenile Costa’s hummingbird (hence his name, “Bob Costa’s”), was blown thousands of miles off course of his natural migratory pattern, ending up in a backyard garden in Lincoln, Nebraska!
However, the climate in Nebraska is notoriously cold and snowy, and poorly suited to a hummingbird such as Bob. Luckily, the good people at the Southern Arizona Hummingbird Rescue (SAHR) were informed about Bob’s predicament and made a journey of over 3,000 miles to collect him and successfully release him into the Arizona desert, where he can thrive.
Eros, the joy-powered service dog
All service dogs are wonderful, but not all are viral internet celebrities or charity ambassadors. Eros, however, is both.
Eros, whose “superpower is joy,” lives with Zoey, whom he assists with concentration and other tasks she finds difficult. He also serves as a “case study” for the good work done by Canine Companions, a national service dog organization. He, Zoey, and Zoey’s mother, Kara, have even worked to promote a book and film from Canine Companions, titled “Andy, A Dog’s Tale,” which raises awareness of the role of service dogs and raises money to help train the next generation of helper pups.
Dally, the four-legged, fluffy cowgirl (and her noble steed, Spanky)
Arizonans are proud of their Wild Western roots, but did you know that it’s not just the humans who love it? You might have heard the phrase “get along, lil’ doggies,” but Dally the dog takes it to a whole new level. Dally has formed a unique bond with a rescue miniature horse named Spanky, and has even been known to ride on his back!
The duo, who live in Morristown, have captured hearts and minds in Arizona and beyond, and even have an Instagram page for their self-proclaimed “dog and pony show.”
Dora Nova and her nine pups
It’s hard to forget the sight of Dora Nova, a sweet pit bull mix who had been painted with distinctive rainbow leopard spots before being abandoned in the hot Arizona sun with her nine puppies. This sweet girl and her babies gained a lot of attention for her unusual “spots” and the danger they faced, but luckily, her story has a happy ending.
Dora Nova (formerly known as Rainbow Brite) was adopted and now lives a pampered life with a four-legged sibling, and all nine of her puppies found loving forever homes as well! One puppy even led to a “foster fail,” which, despite the name, is a happy thing; the pooch’s foster family fell in love and turned a foster into an adoption!
Mootilda, a cow who made a break for freedom
Mooooove aside, all those who would stand in the way of Mootilda! This four-legged force of nature made headlines when she escaped from an Arizona meat-processing plant and went on the run, crossing traffic and finding grazing land and fresh water before she was recaptured.
Arizonans fell in love with the feisty heifer and raised over $2,000 to save her from the slaughterhouse in the nick of time. Now, she’s living her best life at Aimee’s Farm Animal Sanctuary in Queen Creek, where she’ll have the company of other animals (and human admirers), and nothing to “hoof it” away from.
Tucson’s unbothered elf owl
Sometimes, an animal just has the “look” for stardom. That was the case for one little Arizona owl; specifically, an elf owl (the world’s smallest species of owl) who went viral thanks to some truly iconic side-eye.
While this unbothered bird was captured on a video from a wildlife control professional in Tucson aiming to raise awareness of how Arizona’s elf owls are at risk due to habitat destruction, it was the all-too-familiar expression on the owl’s feathered face that really stole the show, and earned the video millions of views on TikTok. While some claim they feel judged from afar by the tiny owl, the video’s popularity proved that the bird is a true Arizona star.
