Get to know Texas’s viral animal stars
From school and business mascots to pets with hidden talents, Texas has no shortage of animal stars that have found fame. Here are some of our favorites.
Many celebrities have hailed from Texas, including musicians such as Willie Nelson and Beyoncé to actors like Matthew McConaughey and Selena Gomez. But it’s not only humans who get the buzz going. Sometimes, animals can set the world ablaze, too.
Here are eight of our favorite Texas animal stars whose popularity transcends the ground they stand on.
Bevo
Bevo is the official mascot of the Texas Longhorns, with horns over six feet long and more than a literal ton of weight behind him. Bevo first appeared on the sidelines of a football game back in 1916, when the Longhorns defeated Texas A&M 21-7. UT alumnus Stephen Pickney had raised $124 to buy the longhorn (originally named Bo), and after the victory, the university decided a live longhorn was good luck.
Ben Dyer, then the editor of the Texas Exes “Alcalde” magazine, named the longhorn. He wrote, “His name is Bevo. Long may he reign!” Though theories abound on where the name comes from, the most likely reason is that the plural of beef is “beeve.” And adding “o” to the end of nicknames, especially during the World War I era, was commonplace. That turned “beeve” into “Bevo.”
We’re currently on Bevo XV, with each steer handling the position in style. In 1995, Texas named the longhorn the official large mammal of the state, lending an even greater legendary status to Bevo.
Big T, the pig
When “Babe” came out in 1995, the charming farm pig took the world by storm. It would be nearly 30 years before another pig would have such an impact, but a Texas swine came strolling along and turned heads left and right.
Kilgore resident Madison Vowell showed Big T, a Hampshire barrow, during the Rusk County Youth Project Show in Henderson. Madison’s mom, Bobbie, posted a video of the event on TikTok, scoring the video with Big Boss Vette’s “Pretty Girls Walk” anthem. Big T, which stands for Big Texas, became an instant celebrity. Though he didn’t win this particular event, he won a place in our hearts. That’s more important, anyway.
Bobbie Vowell shared that Big T overcame a large hernia early in his life. It was so bad that the family initially didn’t think he’d ever compete. But with hard work and a loving family behind him, Big T got the nurturing he needed to participate in events. The Vowells continue to raise livestock and compete in shows, and Big T is still living the good life at home.
Watch Big T strut his stuff below.
@bobbie.vowell_44
Teddy Bear, the goat
Teddy Bear the goat is very cute, though he’s shared the viral spotlight with Milo Garza. The five-year-old stepped in for his older brother to show Teddy Bear at the Compadres Cabritos goat show. After earning fourth place and a snazzy yellow ribbon prize, Milo’s awed face and sweet hug with Teddy Bear could warm even the coldest hearts.
During an appearance on NBC News, Milo’s mom, Elizabeth, affirmed her son’s fondness for the animals. “Milo is a goat lover. He goes outside and he’s constantly kissing the goats, loving on the goats, hugging them.”
It turns out that the entire Garza family loves goats, raising them on the family’s ranch in Kingsville. The show with Teddy Bear was Milo’s third competition, but it was the first time he’s won a ribbon. Seems like there might be a new star kid on the block.
When asked to share his favorite thing about Teddy Bear, Milo had a succinct response: “His legs. They’re fat.”
Savannah, the globetrotting dog
When Tom Turcich was 17 years old, his friend Ann Marie died suddenly. Turcich realized that if life could turn so suddenly, he needed to live his to the fullest. He had always been interested in traveling and wanted to see the world. After eight years of planning and saving money, Turcich embarked on his journey in April 2015.
Four months into the trip, he had made it from New Jersey to Texas. He stopped at Austin Pets Alive and spent a couple of hours looking around at available dogs. Right before he was about to leave, he met Savannah, a medium-sized chow mix puppy. Savannah was at a kill shelter before Austin Pets Alive, so Turcich helped give her a full life. She accompanied him for 25,000 miles around the world, becoming the first dog to travel the globe.
Turcich highlighted Savannah running around Wyoming chasing pronghorn antelopes, and trotting alongside horses in Kyrgyzstan, exploring all the new sights and sounds. And while Turcich says he has no plans to travel the globe again, he and Savannah still regularly spend time in nature. After all, there’s so much to see together.
Walter, the singing French Bulldog
While Savannah is at home running around a forest, Walter Geoffrey, the singing French Bulldog, is much more comfortable vocalizing his displeasure about a situation like being in the car. Located in “Meltdown City at the corner of Unstable and Emotionally Overdramatic,” Walter became an Internet sensation with his unusual “singing,” a mix of whining and yelling when he was upset.
The media blitz hit hard and heavy. Walter’s been featured on several shows, including “Good Morning America,” “The View,” and “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.” He even has his own line of merch. Walter lives in Leander with his owner, Amber Martin, and his sister, Char. Martin said she discovered Walter’s singing ability when he was only 10 weeks old. She tried crating him for his protection, and he immediately let her know he wasn’t having it.
Today, Walter has his own nonprofit and partners with pet companies. And yes, he’s still a sassy singer and continues to roll his eyes, to the delight of millions around the world.
The Clay Henry goats
Lajitas is an unincorporated community near Big Bend National Park. In 1986, Walter M. Mischer owned the town. He invited some friends to visit him—a mix of politicians and businessmen—and the group got stuck in the Thirsty Goat Saloon during a snowstorm. Mischer named his friend Tommy Steele the mayor of Lajitas, which upset a local named Bill Ivey. The local was convinced his goat, Clay Henry, could do better and added him to the ballot.
Steele won the first election, but Henry earned the title of mayor a few years later. Remember the Thirsty Goat Saloon? Henry was its namesake, able to drink a bottle of beer in under 10 seconds. That skill passed through generations, with Clay Henry Jr. acquiring the same talent. One day, Clay Jr. drunkenly killed his father during a fight and became mayor. Clay Jr. garnered even more popularity. He guzzled 35 to 40 beers every day, earned a role on “The Streets of Laredo,” and appeared as a star guest on “The Sally Jessy Raphael Show” in 1995.
Lajitas has since welcomed a Clay Henry III and a Clay Henry IV. The former defeated a dog and a wooden statue to win the mayoral spot. And as far as we can tell, Clay Henry IV never took a sip of alcohol. Mocktails are all the rage nowadays, anyway.
Tyson/Loki the tiger
Smoking high doses of marijuana can sometimes lead to hallucinations. Try and imagine the situation, then, when a pair of weed smokers went to an abandoned house in Houston in 2019 and found a tiger in the garage. The tiger, nicknamed Tyson in an homage to boxer Mike Tyson sporting a tiger in “The Hangover” movie, was in a small, “rinky-dink cage” with several packages of meat. Officers tranquilized Tyson, then moved all 350 pounds of him to an animal shelter. He was later transferred to the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in Murchison.
Tyson had never walked on grass before, so it took some careful stepping to get used to his new location. With proper care from the support team, he soon began exhibiting behaviors more typical of tigers. The sanctuary’s workers renamed the tiger Loki, and they say he likes to spend his days “splashing in the pool, sunning on his platform, and lying under shady trees taking the breeze.” Sounds like a pretty good life to us.
Buc-ee the Beaver
Okay, this isn’t a live animal, but Buc-ee the Beaver’s smiling face is still a welcome sight. After taking a much-needed bathroom break or filling up on gas, you may spot the Buc-ee’s mascot roaming the aisles in search of treats. With 54 locations (including 36 in Texas), there’s a good chance you could bump into the friendly beaver. He’s often willing to pose for a quick photo, and that’s worthy of framing for your wall at home.
Buc-ee’s was opened by Don Wasek and Arch “Beaver” Aplin. The latter earned his nickname from his mom and was a fan of the Ipana toothpaste mascot, Bucky the Beaver. When Buc-ee’s was getting launched, Aplin had a labrador retriever named Buck. Combine all of those elements, and that’s how the store got its name and mascot. The Ipana toothpaste commercial’s iconic “brusha, brusha, brusha” jingle is even featured in the movie “Grease.”
Buc-ee debuted a new look last year, and it received mixed reactions. The once portly beaver was more svelte and sleek. Change isn’t always a bad thing, but there’s comfort in the familiar. Maybe Buc-ee just needs to snack on a bit more fudge to get back to his more rotund shape.
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