Pets - we love them here in Glasgow regardless of their shape or size - big or small, furry or fuzzy - we wanted to look at the most famous animals from the city who made their place in history.
When we think of famous Scottish animals we oft think of Edinburgh's Greyfriars Bobby, or the illustrious haggis - but Glasgow has many of their own community animal hero's whose stories outlived them tenfold.
Today we wanted to look back at those famous Glasgow pets and the legend behind them.
1. Wallace the fire dog
Wallace was a street dog of the late-Victorian era in Glasgow - he would follow the blaring horns of the fire wagons, and was eventually picked up and adopted by the Glasgo fire service, quickly becoming their mascot. Rumours started amongst Glaswegians that the dog would lead the firefighters to fires. A taxidermised Wallace the fire dog can be found at his new home in Greenock Fire Station Heritage Museum - with a new statue in his honour coming to Possilpark soon.
2. Sam the Skull (A Glasgow cat)
Sam the Skull is a fictional Glasgow cat from a childhood song many readers will remember fondly by Alastair McDonald. He's not the kind of cat that sits on the mat, or the kind that you give a hug, but according to the tune he can swallow a rat or even an occasional dog. Recently the song was turned into a children's book - bringing the story of Sam the Skull to a whole new generation.
3. Tirpitz
Tirpitz never set foot on Glasgow soil, instead he was onboard the Clydebuilt ship - the HMS Glasgow - after it sunk a German ship at the Battle of the Falkland Islands in 1914. Pigs were kept onboard war ships to provide fresh meat for crewmates - though Tirpitz escaped this fate, somehow getting above-deck and out to sea after the German ship was scuttled. He was saved by two British sailers, not after nearly drowning one of them, and served onboard the HMS Glasgow for a year, now not as meat, but as a mascot. He was awarded an Iron Cross for his service.
4. Sir Roger
Another mainstay of the Victorian-era, Sir Roger met a tragic fate here in Glasgow. He's stood in Kelvingrove for over 120 years now, but in life he travelled with the circus company Bostock and Wombwell’s Menagerie before he retired in May 1897, when he was adopted by Edward Henry Bostock at his zoo in Cowcaddens. After developing 'musth' - an overdevelopment of testosterone in adult male elephants in heat - Sir Roger was put down by firing squad while he was eating his breakfast. Allegedly Glaswegians could buy tickets to witness his execution. You can still see a bullet hole in Rogers head if you look close enough.