Pets background
The history of pets can be traced back to cavemen and early societies that hunted for a living. The earliest accounts of masked creatures, often resembling animals, were drawn or etched on cave walls and depicted in ancient art. The totems were filled with images of animals in ancient cultures. These similarities are very similar to the concept of team mascots evident on soccer fields and basketball courts. Usually in ancient times, the history of pets shows that these similarities were often worshiped. This was especially true during the hunting and harvest seasons. Ancient tribal peoples dressed in the likeness of animals or totem poles to incite good will. They believed this would help with successful hunts and bountiful harvests. Also, ancient cultures dressed in masks or animal figures for fertility purposes. Many danced in the “mascot” costume to achieve fertility for the people of their tribe or village.
Evolution of pets
Society has come a long way in its current version of pets. Pets, as we know them today, have had the same style and incarnation since the 1800s. They began to emerge on the playing fields of high school and college during that time. Live animals were often used as official team mascots, and athletes proudly wore a mascot patch on their uniform. Keeping and caring for live animals became expensive and cumbersome, so they were largely eliminated. They evolved to look like the puppet-like versions we see today.
They have personality
Pets are now seen as artists and entertainers with traits that now make it an art form. They have become an embodiment of what the team is and can be correlated with the location of the team, or some other primary characteristic that makes the team unique. Effective pets do not learn their presence on a classroom setting. Having the ability to become one with the character and reflect this through physical action is crucial to being a credible pet. The person must be able to put aside their individuality and really get into character. Pets are especially popular with children. They must act in a way that is child-friendly and not intimidating.
The nicer a pet is, the more accessible it will be. Also, they will be well received by fans of all ages. The mascot position exerts a lot of power over crowds at games. They have the ability to really get the crowd involved in the game or go wrong and turn the crowd against them.
Pets as symbols
Throughout the history of pets, symbology is an important component that continues to surface. Pets are often tagged with names that indicate gender and / or certain attributes. For example, a pet named Robbie the Rabbit would indicate a male rabbit that is quick on its paws. This goes a long way to create an image in the minds of fans and anyone who is thinking about the particular team that the mascot represents. Fans will also expect the mascot to react consistently and specifically to them on an ongoing basis.
If a mascot is in the habit of doing a certain dance, fans may be disappointed if the mascot decides not to do the famous dance on game day. It’s a unique job and the rich history of pets continues to unfold as time goes on. It is a position that requires creativity, coherence, individuality and a strong symbolism. Pets may not be worshiped as in ancient societies, but they are powerful images etched into the minds of fans everywhere. The team is often synonymous with the mascot itself.