Maine Memory Network

Leonhard Seppala and dog, Poland Spring, 1927

Contributed by: Maine Historical Society/MaineToday Media Date: 1927 Location: Poland Spring Media: Glass Negative

Kingiak with sled dogs, Poland Spring, 1927

Contributed by: Maine Historical Society/MaineToday Media Date: 1927 Location: Poland Spring Media: Glass Negative

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.