Most people know the joy and companionship a pet can bring. But which pet? The question seems simple; a cat, a dog or maybe something smaller like a rabbit, goldfish, or hamster. Maybe even a combination of them.

For some of the more flamboyant, bigger personalities in the world that option is just the tip of the iceberg, and finding the perfect animal companion to match your personality can be a challenge.

Here are some examples of famous people that found their perfect match in some exotic places.

Salvador Dali

Salvador Dali, famous for his bizarre surrealist paintings, was well-known for his eccentric behaviour and lived a life almost as strange and wonderful as his painting. He had a number of interesting pets including an ocelot named Babou and even an anteater that he would take for walks in the streets of Paris.

Josephine Baker

Josephine Baker, the famous singer, cabaret dancer, French Resistance agent, and civil rights activist, was gifted a cheetah by a night club owner to use in her dance performances. 

She fell in love with the beautiful animal, called Chiquita, right away and kept it for years, even letting the cheetah sleep in her bed and travel with her throughout the world.

Mike Tyson

Famous boxer, Mike Tyson's career actually got started due to his love for his pets, pigeons. Growing up, he was a shy quiet boy who was bullied. He kept pigeons as pets and when another boy killed one of his pigeons, he stood up to him and knocked the kid out with a punch, and his talent for boxing was discovered.

Today, although he has retired from boxing, he still keeps pigeons as he says they teach him to be compassionate and caring and he is considered an expert in pigeon rearing.

Slash

Slash, a musician best known as the lead guitarist for Guns and Roses, collected snakes and other reptiles ever since he was a little boy. His collection grew so large that in 2008, he had about 100 snakes, lizards and even crocodiles in his house. Eventually he however did give his collection away to a local zoo, because of concerns about his child's safety in a house with so many dangerous animals and with being able to properly care and feed them with his busy schedule.Resources:

1. https://hyperallergic.com/296229/the-curious-fates-of-famous-artists-pets/ 
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephine_Baker 
3. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/23148/5-things-you-didnt-know-about-josephine-baker
4. https://geozoo.org/the-bizarre-and-true-story-of-mike-tyson-and-his-pet-pigeons/
5. http://www.slashparadise.com/background/more-slash.php
6. http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Snakes/Information-News/Snakeless-Slash/
7. https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/entertainment/slash-sacrifices-snakes-for-baby-155467.html

Carmen Neethling
BSc Natuurwetenskappe
BSc (Hons) Entomologie