Maine Memory Network

Child with doll and pet dog, ca. 1905

Contributed by: Maine Historical Society Date: circa 1905 Media: Photoprint

Portrait of Zip, Portland, ca. 1845

Contributed by: Maine Historical Society Date: circa 1845 Location: Portland Media: Daguerreotype

People, Pets & Portraits

Informal family photos often include family pets -- but formal, studio portraits and paintings also often feature one person and one pet, in formal attire and pose.

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.

Early Maine Photography - Human Interest

"Family pets were as treasured in the 1840s as they are today, and their owners sought to capture their images by the newly discovered means of…"

Mantor Library, University of Maine Farmington

View collections, facts, and contact information for this Contributing Partner.

A case of mistaken animal identity
by Judy Loeven

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

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.