“Potter” Pets: MuggleNet’s Animal Friends

When I was 12 years old, my cousin’s Chihuahua had a litter of puppies, and I was promised one. I had already decided that I’d pick one and name him Dobby (given the resemblance of the breed to the magical creature), but of course the litter had no males. I opted instead for the name of my favorite character, Luna.

Since working at MuggleNet, I have discovered that so many of us have chosen to name our precious pets after Potter characters. It is also National Dog Week, and I figured what better way to show appreciation for our furry pals than to dedicate an article to them? Here are just a few!

“Here is Sir Crookshanks, my little hammy. He says hello, but he’s too busy chewing a hole in his cage to pose for a photo right now.” – Lizzie G.
 

“[Here is] Narcissa (Cissy for short, of course). She’s mischievous and sneaky and a beautifully loyal calico. She is definitely a Hufflepuff, with the energy of a Gryffindor!” – Kat
 

“This is Sirius. He is fat and afraid of the sound of laughter. He is our precioussssss. (Oops, wrong fandom.)” – Jessica J.
 

“[This is] Molly (English cocker spaniel – 2[years] 9 [months]). Molly is much like her Weasley namesake: She is unbelievably kind and sweet natured and is fiercely loyal to her family.” – Charlotte
 

“This is Luna. She’s a rescue, if you can call it that. She was a stray kitten that wandered into my dad’s friendly raccoon trap. When we opened the door to release her, we thought she would run away. Instead she purred for hours and followed us right into the house. So you could say Luna adopted us. We didn’t know when we named her that she was the cat version of Luna Lovegood. [Oftentimes] she chases (and we assume captures) invisible creatures around the house. One time she jumped four feet in the air and caught a mosquito in her paws. She’s fierce, loyal, and completely Looney. We love her!” – Nicole
 

“‘Whoa, look! It’s the new Nimbus 2000!’ ‘It’s the fastest model yet!’ We rescued Nimbus, an adorable one[-]year[-]old chihuahua mix, and named him because of his boundless energy and non-stop fast past. He never stops moving and has the speed to rival the famous broomstick.” – Savannah
 

“Remus: That first day we brought him home I had no idea how accurately I had named him. He’s the sweetest dog, but he has a little bit of mischief in him. You never know when the full moon might come out, causing him to get into trouble. As you can tell from this picture, he has a thing for shoes. That would be due to our training method of shoving a toy in his mouth every time those werewolf teeth came out. Now he scrambles to pick up the first thing he sees when he greets you at the door. That usually ends up being shoes or slippers.” – Amy H.
 

“Dobby: Dobby is a house-elf through and through. You can’t turn around in the kitchen without tripping over him. He’s a [homebody] who loves his family and his arm chair. He’s timid when it comes to the great outdoors but will defend his home and his people at all costs! He stands up for his friends, too. When it comes to standing by Remus, he will do whatever it takes, whether against the cat or the mailman.” – Amy H.
 

“Weasley: When I moved into my college dorm I needed some sort of company. When in doubt, buy a Walmart fish. He’s ginger, so naturally he’s a Weasley. It’s been two years, and he’s still kicking and rocking that mustache!” – Amy H.
 

Now, this is my Luna. She’s a quirky oddball like her namesake, but she’s also the tiniest diva I’ve ever met. I love her to bits, and she’s the best companion I could’ve asked for.

And finally, here’s an honorary Potter pet, Finnigan (like Seamus), who belongs to my boyfriend. He’s the sweetest goofball despite the majestic facade. He’s loving, playful, and we suspect a Hufflepuff.

There are so many amazing animals even in the Harry Potter series, and with Jo’s knack for names, it’s no wonder some of them have crept into our own lives. Do you have any pets whose names were inspired by the series? Please share them with us!