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Animals in Our Collections

Humans have been enamored with animals of all sorts, whether they be pets, wildlife, or farm stock, for time immemorial. Nowadays, it is easy for us to take pictures of any animal, goofy, cute, or otherwise, with our cellphones. But it hasn’t always been that easy.

Turtle eating banana
Turtle eating banana

Over the course of history, cultures have found their own ways to share their pets and other animals through various media. In Ancient Rome portraits of pets have been known to be painted on stucco, carved into stone, or inlaid in mosaic. Animals of myth, such as Lupa the wolf of the Romulus and Remus story, have been made into bronze and marble statues. Before and during the Renaissance period, pets began appearing in portraits of royalty and in landscape paintings. In the modern day, this obsession with animals has not ceased.

Camp Pet
Camp Pet

The advent of the camera changed the game for documenting and sharing our favorite animals and pets. The University of Idaho Special Collections & Archives is teeming with photos of animals of all sizes, ages, and species.

Digital Collections, created by CDIL and Special Collections & Archives, contain many photographs of animals associated with the University of Idaho, Moscow, and the greater Northwest region.

Locally, the Moscow community has had its fair share of animals and pets documented for owners and future generations.

Sheep. University of Idaho. Little International. [204c-3]
Sheep. University of Idaho. Little International. [204c-3]
Smokey (the dog) [1]
Smokey (the dog) [1]

Communities around the world and through time center animals as a subject for conversation, events, and even their communities. The Veteran’s Pet Parade, held in Wallace, ID, is a great example of the pet community.

Veterans Pet Parade [01]
Veterans Pet Parade [01]

With many families having pets, it is no surprise that many of our collections contain photographs of their beloved pets.

Cat [3]
Cat [3]

The University of Idaho College of Agricultural and Life Sciences is notably known for their association with farm animals, such as sheep and cattle.

Scottish Highland Cattle
Scottish Highland Cattle
Charley Mills, herder, and dog watching sheep. University of Idaho. [204c-22]
Charley Mills, herder, and dog watching sheep. University of Idaho. [204c-22]

Regardless of your field, you are bound to run into animals in some capacity. Art and Architecture students have even engaged with elephants to determine the needs of a building’s structure based on the animal’s size.

Art and Architecture. University of Idaho. Student Ronald L. Walters determines needs of zoo elephant for project. [241-6]
Art and Architecture. University of Idaho. Student Ronald L. Walters determines needs of zoo elephant for project. [241-6]

Faculty, staff, and students from the University of Idaho traveling for research or leisure have taken photos of various animals that they come across in their travels. Dr. Woodbury, a horticulture professor, traveled to Central and South America on a Fulbright Fellowship and took many pictures of the animals that he came across.

Our toad
Our toad

University and campus life even has community events centered on animals as well. The well-known Turtle Derby, organized by the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, is a popular event during the spring semester Parent Weekend.

The Turtle Derby at Mom's Weekend
The Turtle Derby at Mom's Weekend

Part of this post was developed using Digital Collections’ new search tool, which makes it easier to find the items you’re looking for! If this has caught your attention and you would like to explore more of the animals in Special Collections & Archives or Digital Collections, email us to schedule an appointment at libspec@uidaho.edu.

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