Maine Memory Network

"The Berry Pickers," Portland, ca. 1845

Contributed by: Maine Historical Society Date: 1845 Location: Portland; Cumberland Media: Oil painting

Best Friends: Mainers and their Pets

Humans and their animal companions began sharing lives about twenty-five thousand years ago, when, according to archaeological evidence and genetic studies, wolves approached people for food scraps. As agriculture grew and people began storing grains around ten thousand years ago, wild cats helped keep rodents at bay and feline populations thrived by having a steady food source. Over time, these animals morphed into the dogs and cats we know today, becoming our home companions, our pets.

My Journey: Training Service Dogs in Prison
by Anonymous (Maine State Prison)

Inmates at Maine State Prison train dogs as service and companion animals. This is one story.

A case of mistaken animal identity
by Judy Loeven

The time my neighbor's dog Tyson got away, or so I thought.