PHOTO GALLERY: Queers with Pets

Meg and Puddin / Los Angeles, CA

“Meg and Sheri (photographer) are a lesbian couple, and this little beast was adopted by Sheri a couple years ago. The weirdest thing about her is her obsession with flip flops. You can follow along with Sheri and Meg.”

Cassy, Kristen, Joey, Leah / 33, 32, 9, 8 months / Crimora, VA

“Joey was a part of a group of feral cats that lived outside of the grocery store where Kristen used to work. They were all very skittish. One day Joey got stuck inside they cage where they keep the propane tanks. Kristen and her co-workers go him out and she brought her home. He’s still a big, fat (18lb) scaredy cat who hides most of the time but we feed him so he tolerates us, sometimes. He also hates that we got him a puppy sister. Joey’s named has morphed over the years. We actually named him Mocha which turned into Mocha Joe, then just Joe or most often Joey, which is what everyone else calls him, too. In true parent form, when we yell at him we use his full name: Mocha Joesph.

We adopted Leah from the local SPCA just a couple months ago. We couldn’t resist her cute face. She was the only dog we took out of her kennel to meet and that was pretty much it. Her previous owners had just dropped her off earlier that day so she didn’t even have to spend one night there. They had named her Layla, but we didn’t really care for that name so we just sort of randomly picked another name that started with L. However, we mostly affectionately refer to her as pupperoni right now. I’m sure her name will change with time, too. She’s a crazy ball of energy with long legs that she doesn’t quite know how to control yet. At least she’s cute.”

Vic, Desmond, Bubba / 30, 10, 3 / Southern NJ

“Desmond (the golden) has been a part of my family since I was 19. My younger brother named him, after a character on the TV show Lost. I gradually became his main person in terms of vet care, food, walks and ear scratches, though he does split his time between my place and my dad’s and brother’s so that one person can take care of him when the others are at work. His favorite thing to do is take walks down to the bay with me, but he always forgets that he’s no longer a young pup and will walk as fast as he can on the way there; heading home, he’ll pretend to stop to smell something every minute or so to rest. His least favorite thing is getting a bath, but he’s such a good boy about it.

Bubba (the bully) is my mom and stepdad’s dog, but I’m including him because I see him almost as often as Des and I couldn’t not. He loves cuddling / using people as human pillows probably more than anything else. Also, my mom maintains an Instagram account for him, @bubbalicious_the_bulldogge and would love more followers.”

Tara and Leonardo DiCatrio (Leo) / 24, 5

“Leo came into my life shortly after graduating high school, and training for the Army. He was a rescue that I adopted from some folks who found him and his litter on the side of the road. I debated whether to name him after Leonardo DaVinci or DiCaprio. Ultimately, the pun won out. He’s my favorite cat in the world. He never leaves my side, has undying love for fetch, and puts up with the chaos of my life.”

Jenna, Steph, Flapjack, Ellie / Boston, MA

“When we were in college, Steph’s roommate showed up with a tiny, four week old ball of fluff orphan kitten and asked, “Can we keep her?” That ball of fluff turned into a very mischievous cat named Flapjack. We adopted Ellie a few years later and I really think she might be the nicest cat in the whole world. About seven years after they first met and became sisters, Flapjack and Ellie recently almost cuddled for the first time. They have learned their worst habits from each other and I would die for them. (Though tbh I haven’t even seen any of the other pets in this gallery and I would probably die for all of them.)”

Jamie and Newton / 30, 2 / Quincy, MA

“His full name is Winsor Newton (like the paints)! We call him Newton because when we first got him, his wings were clipped and he had a lot of trouble with gravity. (But he can fly now.) We already had one bird and were thinking about getting a second, so on a whim we stopped at (what turned out to be) the sketchiest pet store in the world. Literally. It wasn’t even open for business yet. No signs. All the shelves were empty — they just had some fish tanks, and a bunch of birds flying free around the store. It was definitely NOT a good place to purchase a parrot. But then Newton snuggled up in my hands and I couldn’t leave him behind.

We expected Newton to be something like our other bird — dignified, reserved, independent. Instead we got a tiny rainbow snuggle clown. He will hang upside down from anything he can get a grip on, and his favorite place to be is inside my shirt. He doesn’t talk a lot, but we laugh at his antics so much that he has learned to mimic the sound of human laughter. When he’s bored, he likes to bite holes in my shirts, so I try to keep him entertained in other ways. I’ve taught him to do flips over his perch, fetch a ball, and put coins in a bank. He is surprisingly smart, so I have to be careful, otherwise, he tries to train ME. He also has his own Facebook page.”

Hanna, Atlas, Mango, Basil / OK

“Atlas likes to be outside when it snows but hates getting her paws wet. Mango and Basil don’t even bother with the outdoors because they know my shoulders are the comfiest seat in the house.”

Larkin, Blueberry / 28, 5 / Suttle Lake, OR

“When I was on my first date with my girlfriend, she told me she had a dog. I was excited because I love animals, but didn’t think much else of it. When I went to her place a few days later and she introduced me to Blueberry I almost burst into tears on the spot because she was the most adorable dog I’d ever seen. She immediately wagged her non-existent tail and rolled on her belly, begging me for pets. It was love at first sight! My girlfriend got Blueberry from another family where she wasn’t getting along with their dogs. She named her Blueberry after reading aloud a variety of dog names, and Blueberry looked very excited when her new name was called. Coincidentally, she loves to eat blueberries! My favorite thing about Blueberry is that she and I share “touch” as our top love language, so at any given moment we probably both want to cuddle up together. The weirdest thing about Blueberry is that she loves lying on her back, but it makes her sneeze, so she will just lie on her back and continuously sneeze every few minutes! I adore everything about her, and she has brought boundless joy into my life! Instagram: @blueberrythecorgi.”

Blake and Arlo

“I adopted Arlo a little over two years ago in search of an emotional support dog. Our first encounter included playing “fetch,” or more like roll the ball, in an adoption room at Great Plains SPCA. Arlo was only 2 months old at the time. Although I was in search of an older dog (not a puppy), I instantly fell in love with those beautiful hazel eyes of his. He is named after the folk singer, Arlo Gutherie. The best darn thing about Arlo is he is an extreme snuggler. He also pulls off a Wonder Woman collar with the utmost pride. The weirdest thing about him is his ability to sit in anyone’s lap, even if it is a small recliner. Arlo’s Instagram account is @arlothepointer.

Monique and Elliot / 28, 9 / Tucson, AZ

“I wanted to get a dog while I was in college, and I found a tiny, strangely brown puppy on Craigslist. I impulsively ran out to get him that night. He’s named after Elliot Reid, the Scrubs character (one of my favorite shows). When I come home or when friends visit, he likes to grab socks or pieces of trash because he wants you to chase him around the house. He’s really anxious about everything just like I am, and he has moved with me about eight times over the last nine years including across the country to D.C. and back. His least favorite trick is playing dead (he will refuse as long as possible). He also often straight up ignores me when I call him, and I’m pretty sure he enjoys that I leave him alone to go to work every day because I bug him when I am at home. He gets excited to go on trips but hates car rides?  I have absolutely no idea what kind of dog he is, and many people have told me they don’t think he’s 100% dog because he’s such a little weirdo. (He hates pictures too, if you couldn’t tell.)”

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87 Comments

  2. I want to pet all of them. Even the house plant.

    Also, I really, really wanted to participate in this one, but unfortunately my cat doesn’t live with me and I couldn’t make it over to my mom’s in time for the deadline. I even had the photo all planned out!

  3. Wow, after looking through all of these I have that kind of post-TV-binge feeling, like I am slightly stunned and unsure what to do with my feelings or my body.

    Also, did I miss Sue Perkins the sourdough?!

  4. 1. Weare, NH is one town over from where I grew up! Wow!!
    2. Everyone’s pets are so charming, omg
    3. I did not know there were this many queers in Ohio?
    4. Marty and Olive are delighted to have been featured <3 <3 <3

  5. Having a real moment over here with all the cute.

    I’m also shocked that the entirety of my crazy dog lady verbal diarrhea made the cut.

  9. I met some wonderful pups hiking Triple Falls in DuPont National Park this summer. One of my favorite parts of hiking is all the dogs I meet. I used to have a Springer that hiked all over Pisgah National Forest and The Smokey’s with me. As well as playing on the beach in Isle of Palms. It’s been a couple of years since my last Springer passed away. I have had all kinds of dogs, but we foster Springers. Hopefully, my sister and I will be able to adopt a couple of dogs soon. We already named them Biscuit and Grits.

  12. Lovely! So heartwarming to see the photos and read how all these lovely animals found their human companions.

  13. ok do you all have professional photos taken with your pets or what?

    …wait, can I have professional photos taken with my pet?

    • Right? I tried to use my good camera but that was a no-go with Mr. Grumpy Pants, so I ended up having to use my crappy phone camera instead. I am impressed with everyone else’s well-behaved fur friends.

    • Everytime I take a pic of reptar I am RISKING MY VERY LIFE because he hates phones. I think the screen doesn’t refresh fast enough for bird eyes to make sense of them? I’m p sure phones are murdery strobe lights for him

    • Maybe a little food before and after the shoot could make it more professional? Food to distract then food as reward when your pet does a good job.

    • Yes you can have professional photos taken with your pets (says the woman who has signed her dogs up to be calendar models).

    • I’ve done that before but Boris was very scared in the studio and tucked his ears all the way back. I sent one of those I turns to my dad and he answered me “your poor dog has no ears”

  15. So much cuteness! I thought I was going to die there for a minute.

    Glad to report that the result was this instead:

  17. Also wow wasnt aware we were meant to write essays on our animals?? I worked so hard* to condense mine

    *”hard”, “for five minutes”, potato, potahto,

  18. I wish I knew about this! I would love for you guys to meet my pet cock, Pirri, 10! I love that guy. ?????

  21. So many good animals and so many good animal names and so many good faces and pictures and ahhh! So much good I so desperately needed today. <3

  23. Thank the gods for this post today. I was already crying last night out of overwhelmed-the-world-is-the-worst-dumpster-fire-ever types of emotions. Then I woke up to the tragic news about vegas. This is a nice reminder that not all is bad.

    Thanks.

    ps. It looks like my pic with my dog is lumped into the folks pictures above me.

  25. All of your pets are adorable and I’m jealous that I am a poor grad student with a lease that forbids dogs and cats.

    Also I reeeeeally hope the next gallery is a Halloween costume gallery.

  27. Oh how I needed this gallery today! Rather than try to pick favorites, I’ll simply say that y’all and your pets are just *the cutest*. Thanks, everyone! <3

  28. This is the best thing ever. I have officially followed all of your instagram accounts, because whenever the world is bad I follow another 20 or so animal instas and this was a perfect opportunity. This thread is amazing and I wish I hadn’t forgotten to send in pictures of my amazing cats. You can see them on my instagram if you want; my username there is also ankhmorpork. It’s 90% my cats with a few selfies here and there. I don’t pet sit as much anymore but I tend to take pictures of the dogs and cats I sit for as well.

    P.S. Atlanta people, we should become friends so I can pet your dogs. And because half my queer friends have moved away and you seem like fun people. But also, dogs.

  29. Oh, my goodness. OH, MY GOODNESS! My heart. I can’t handle this right now. Look at all of this cuteness. Precious babies.

  31. So many beautiful humans with amazing animal friends! ?

    I was kind of expecting at least one snake or lizard though…but I’m very glad nobody sent in a photo with a pet tarantula! ?

  32. I love animals and I love you guys and everything is so cute and let’s choose to ignore the rest of the world, just for today

  36. YOUR PETS ARE ALL SO GREAT but now i feel guilty that i only posted my dog and not my cat, because he is also a star. instead of using a litter box, he likes to jump over our back fence, crap in the neighbor’s yard, and then come home, because cats are dicks. we used to be okay with this because we hated our old neighbors but now we have new neighbors, a nice gay couple who love him, so now he goes over there to crap and then they let him in their back door for food and treats. he has a second family and thinks we don’t know because he still comes home wanting dinner. anyway that’s my cat and i need you to know about his antics.
    my sister also has a ball python. she sleeps most of the day and hates men, so, ya know, relatable.

  37. This is the best photo gallery ever!! I just went and followed all the Instagram accounts! I kinda wish this was an ongoing queers with pets instagram. Haha. I also really want a cat now! I also absolutely loved that Kristin Russo and Jenny Owen Youngs had their cat here too and an instagram!! So exciting!! This has made my day. <3

  38. this was soooo lovelyyy!!!

    anna^2 i really want a christmas card from you and yours. that is year-round fridge material.

  39. OMG the adorbs. Part of me regrets not including my parents’ new puppy Ms Frizzle for the amazing cuteness factor, but Mikoto’s my priority. I was getting nervous that we weren’t going to be on the list but turns out we were just near the end.

    I miss my camp buds and now I miss your pets too ❤️

    • First thing I did was Ctrl+F my cat’s name, and then look through the gallery once I knew he made it in ~^_^~

  40. It is 7:25 am on Bainbridge Island in Washington, and I have been up since 5:10 am to take the ferry over here – so forgive my emotions when I say that all of you and your bbs are perfect. Gosh. Thank you for sharing.

  41. I thought my favourite page on the internet was a cache of 215 pictures of Kate McKinnon at the Emmys, but I see I was wrong. I live here now.

  42. This gallery makes me SO happy. Like it is the most heartwarming, relaxing, adorable thing ever. Thank you for putting this together.

  43. Shoutout to the people whose dogs are named Henry and Hazel – those are our dogs’ names too! <3

  45. I’m going back through this a page a day and reading every single word you all wrote about your furbabies, and I just laughed out loud at this: “fun fact: if you name your very independent dog Stella, every trip to the dog park turns into A Streetcar Named Desire.”

  46. Yo bookshelf, I’m really happy for you, Imma let you finish but Pets is the best gallery of all time.

  47. So good! I particularly love Boris the show cat who reminds me so much of my cat Spike. She was a show cat in her own mind.

  49. Wow, I wrote a god damn essay. I am sorry ya’ll lmao. I love everyone’s pets!!

    If you and your doggo live near Sacramento, CA, we need to meet up ASAP!!!

    • Beau and I are on page 13 and also we would love to be friends. He needs practice making friends because he’s not great at it and friends confuse him. Shoot me a message… I’m much easier to contact on Instagram or Facebook, so swap details with me and you can play with my dog?

  50. So many new instagram friends for Puck! I’m very glad we can keep this gallery going on instagram ^_^ And it’s nice to see there’s another mischievous Puck out there :)

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